Page 35 of The Shadow Gods

Hector smiled, touched my cheek, and said, “We go to Corfu.”

Achilles

Back to Greece.

Greece hadn't been where I’d lived in centuries, but it would always be home. When we made the decision to go to Corfu, I’d wanted to drive straight through France and Italy. But Leo couldn't handle the hours that would take. She had human needs—like sleeping and eating and walking around. We'd been in the car for nearly two days, and though I knew how to compartmentalize discomfort, even I was feeling the strain of the small space and the need to stretch my muscles.

Once across the border, we stopped in a small town in the mountains, Bardonecchia. We weren't far from Turin, but one glance at Leo, and I realized we had to stop. She hadn't slept in hours. Instead, she'd dug through the bags to find the books she'd taken from Hector's library.

She'd studied them through the afternoon and into the evening. I knew she was a scholar, but I still didn’t understand how she tuned everything out. It was like all of us had disappeared as she became immersed in her work. When it became too dark to read, she used the light on her phone to scroll through the pages.

“What are you reading?” I asked when the silence became too much.

“Herodotus,Histories,” she answered. Her voice sounded off, and when I glanced over my shoulder, she had a glazed look in her eyes.

Hector gently pulled it from her hands and closed it. “There will be time tomorrow. Give your eyes a break. We're stopping soon.” He'd said the last part with a glance toward me. It was a command.

Anxious to get home, I glared, but I knew he was right. We might be immortal, and we might be able to go much longer without sleep or food, but we'd need it, eventually. It was better to meet our enemies with all our wits than with exhaustion tugging at our eyelids.

I pulled into the first hotel we came across. Like zombies, we stumbled out of the van, bags with our most important items slung on our backs, and through the automatic doors.

Leo held her book against her chest, blinking in the suddenly bright light.

“I'll see about rooms,” Pollux said. He slid his hands into his jacket pockets and approached the desk.

Leo seemed to wobble, and I went to help, but Hector beat me to it.

Jealousy made my stomach ache. I wanted to be the one supporting her, holding her. But I recognized my own need in his expression. And when our gazes clashed, I could read his question loud and clear. He was begging, without words, for time with her.

Out of everyone, I had the least to complain about. I could still feel her soft skin beneath my fingertips and the way her body had accepted and welcomed me when I thrust inside her.

Quickly, I turned my back, willing my dick to calm the hell down. As much as I wanted to hold her, I couldn't—wouldn't—take that from Hector.

Besides, I wasn't the only one who was dying to lose myself with her. Paris and Orestes had to have blue balls, and Pollux, where he haggled with the hotelier, kept casting longing looks over his shoulder.

Leo leaned her head on Hector's shoulder, closed her eyes, and sighed. Hector stared at her, gaze so open and expressive. It was like he'd forgotten about all of us standing, watching.

Or he didn't care.

I hoped it was the latter. My friend spent too long hidden behind walls. It was time he knocked them down and let someone past.

Leo

Sometimes, when I was deep in research, I forgot about things like eating and sleeping until they smacked me in the face. That was what happened now.

My stomach churned, equal parts hungry and carsick from hours upon hours in the van. Leaning against Hector, I closed my eyes. He smelled so good, a mix of soap and hot-guy cologne and whatever natural scent he had that probably seduced naiads or mermaids.

One powerful arm wrapped around my waist and I smiled. The past day had changed something between the two of us. Of everyone, he'd seen less of my previous life, and he'd been harder on me than the other guys, but all of that seemed to have made our budding connection stronger.

“We're paired up.” Pollux called out to us, his voice intruding on my thoughts.

Opening my eyes, I shifted away from Hector. I did it without thinking, even though the longer I spent with these men, the more I learned that their affection came without strings. Hector was quick to put his arm around me again and hold me tighter.

“Thanks,” he replied, taking the key card from Pollux.

Pollux fixed me with a long look. “Get some sleep. You need rest.” He cut a glance at Hector. “Got it?”

The man next to me didn't loosen his grip. “You know I'll take care of her.”

---