Page 46 of Curses & Keys (Curses & Gods #1)

PHAEDRA

I stare over at the bed where Jamison and Hawthorne lie.

We all decided it was best to stick together in the living room, but with Jamison’s injuries, there was no way he could sleep comfortably on the couch.

Having gotten used to sleeping next to Hawthorne, I tossed and turned all night.

Alone. My arms felt bare like they did before I met them.

The light is barely cresting the sky when I get up.

Mathias walks into the living room, fresh from the shower, toweling his hair dry, chest glistening with water, silver locket around his neck, and I almost throw my hands up in surrender.

Leaner than the other three, I thought he might be skinny, but apparently, it’s all muscle. Abs stacked on abs. Damn it.

He lifts an arrogant eyebrow. “Trying to sneak out?”

I roll my eyes and stalk past him to the bathroom.

“Hardly. But if we’re both up, I’d rather go get it over with.

” My tone is snarky, but I can’t help it.

Every fiber of my being is dreading this quest. It takes me minutes to shower, braid my hair, and dress in appropriate clothes.

Tan cargoes, a tank, a long-sleeved button-down, and hiking boots.

I stalk into the living room and stop dead. The three of them are awake and waiting for me. “What? Did something happen?” I immediately look at Hawthorne, but he hasn’t moved.

Gatlin chuckles. “Easy, tiger. We’re making sure you and Mathias have everything, including extra trackers.” He mumbles something about an arsenal too.

Tucking my gun in my back, I check my backpack for the hundredth time.

Unlike last time, we don’t have schematics to guide us, but we’re taking the laptop in case we need to research something.

Snacks. Water. Ammo. More ammo. Matches.

Climbing gear. Extra socks and a change of clothes.

Ammo. I lift it up and almost groan. Seconds later, the weight is lifted off me.

“I’ll take it,” Mathias states firmly. When I open my mouth to protest, his dark eyes almost dare me to argue. “Vampire, remember? This weighs nothing to me.”

I scan his attire and see the warrior is back. The first time I was thrilled to have Hawthorne with me, especially his brain and love of history. It felt like an adventure. This time, it feels like we’re going into battle, and oddly enough, Mathias is perfect for it.

Jamison steps forward and puts his hands on my shoulders. “Don’t take any chances. If the enemy shows up, promise me you’ll do whatever Mathias tells you to do.”

“I’ll try,” I reply. His gaze narrows as he waits for the answer he wants. “Fine. I promise.”

His fingers lift my chin, and he plants a sensual kiss on my lips. “Come back safe.”

Gatlin comes over and slips a crossbody bag over my shoulder. “There’s an extra gun and ammo in there. It should be light enough for you to wear at all times.” Then, he bends down and tucks an extra tracker in my right boot.

Surprisingly, the bag is a good fit. “Thank you. It’s really light.”

His gold eyes brighten, and he wraps me up in a bear hug. Oomph .

“Shoot first, ask questions later,” he growls as he steps back. His eyes fix on Mathias, and a silent conversation passes between them.

I rub my damp palms down my pants, then take Mathias’ hand.

He pulls us into the portal, and when we step out, the Apollonian sanctuary in all its ruined glory is spread out before us.

The excavation of this massive site began in 1872 and is still ongoing.

There are several temples and a city, complete with residences, a market, underwater discoveries, and the infamous Terrace of the Lions.

I stride up to one of the stone replicas they added to the site and run my hand down its sleek body. Lined up like they would have been when the Sanctuary of Apollo was built, the lions are said to be the guardians of the sanctuary and Sacred Lake.

“Magnificent. The originals are in the museum over there and are made of marble.”

Mathias barely glances at the statue. His head is practically on a swivel, searching for the enemy. “Where do we think we should start?”

I sigh and wonder if Hawthorne’s been here. Maybe when this is all over, we can come back and help dig for the excavation. There’s so much work to do here, they welcome experts from all over the world.

I look up and find Mathias staring at me, waiting for an answer. “There were three temples dedicated to Apollo and one to Artemis. There isn’t much that’s standing today, not even the huge statue of Apollo but enough to search. We’ll start with the largest temple.”

Silence reigns supreme for the first hour but Mathias’ vigilance never wavers. The crowds show up, and his face tightens as he scrutinizes every person around us. The moment he thinks someone is looking in my direction, he eases his body in front of mine.

“Tell me about Kallias,” I urge, tired of being left to my own thoughts. This could take hours or days.

His eyes dart to me before returning to the crowd. “Kallias is complex. There are two races—vampyrean and noble. Queens and kings come from the vampyrean race. A king was on the throne when I left.”

“Why do the rulers only come from one race?” I ask, scanning a column, one of the few that are standing tall in the heat of the sun.

“Vampyreans have pure blood. We’re stronger. Faster. Have superior senses,” he replies, never looking in my direction.

“You’re a pureblood,” I realize. “That explains your ability to get into someone’s mind. What else can you do?”

He flicks an amused glance at me. “Why would I tell you?”

“Because we could be here for days,” I say with a smirk. “Might as well get to know one another.” I try to remember all the facts about vampires. “How about compulsion?”

He stops, takes off his glasses, and stares down at me. “You will cease this line of questioning and put your hat on. You’re starting to burn.”

I snort. “Seriously?” He appears startled, but I shake my head and pull up my hat. “Happy? Now, where were we? That’s right. Compulsion.” His brow furrows, and it takes a moment, but it finally clicks. “Oh, wait. Was that your attempt to compel me?”

Squaring his shoulders and body, he steps in front of me. “Tell me where you stashed the key.”

I narrow my eyes. “Not a chance.”

Dark eyes burn with intense emotion, tugging at something inside me. He abruptly turns away. “Let’s keep walking.”

“Okaaay,” I say, drawing the word out. That was weird. “So, you have a king or queen who rules the vampyreans and nobles. Don’t you have any ordinary people?”

His brow furrows. “Nobles don’t mean the same thing in my world. Nobles are a separate race, but they make up most of the population on Kallias. Vampyreans might rule, but nobles hold the most power. Their blood sustains us. Without them, we would die.”

I grimace. “And they do this willingly?”

A pink tint crosses his cheeks. “They do. It’s quite pleasurable.” His dark eyes abandon the crowd and skim down the side of my neck. “Would you like a demonstration?”

I stumble on the uneven ground, and he steadies me. “Umm, no, thank you.” Although my mind is screaming, Yes, yes, I do!

Scrambling to find another topic, I switch gears. “So, what did you do in Kallias? Do they have computers there?” To my astonishment, he starts laughing, and my jaw drops at the rich sound coming from him.

“We didn’t have computers,” he says. He gives me an uneasy glance. “I was a commander in the royal army.”

“Ahh, that explains it,” I tell him, waving a hand in his direction.

“The first time I saw you in my condo, you were slitting a man’s throat.

But then you turned into this very capable computer nerd in sophisticated clothing.

I wasn’t sure which was the real you.” Fierce intelligence gleams in his dark eyes. “Surprisingly, both roles suit you.”

I bend down to study a mark etched into the foot of Apollo’s statue, but it turns out to be a chip in the stone. When I stand, he’s staring down at me with a speculative gleam in his eyes.

“You’re one to talk. You were a vision in gold when I saw you at the gala. A seductress who had turned Jamison’s head,” he muses. “When we met, you were a fighter defending your territory. Hawthorne met a professor and teller of history. You make me wonder who we’ll see next.”

Unbelievable. This whole time I thought he didn’t like me.

He returns his gaze to the crowd. A group of men start walking our way, and he ushers me down a side path. Then another. Three of the men break off, turn in our direction, and pick up their speed. They’re definitely following us. Mathias tenses beside me.

One of them stares my way, and I freeze. Golden brown curls. A lighthearted grin. Perfectly symmetrical features. He looks like a model, but there’s no mistaking those blue eyes. The same color as the sky on a bright sunny day. Apollo.

The trio continues to advance. Mathias takes my hand and pulls me toward one of the excavated residences.

The gate with its padlock provides little resistance.

He pushes me inside and to the corner, palming two of his knives.

I draw my gun and peek around him. He mutters something and motions for me to get back.

I shake my head and move to the entrance.

“They’re gone,” I tell him, tucking my gun away.

I point to the mosaic on the floor. “This is the House of the Dolphins. There are several houses here with intact mosaics that are simply stunning.” My mouth curves down.

Every time I see an inlaid mosaic, I think of home. The one I lived in as a child.

Shaking off the melancholy, I turn toward the gate. “You want to hear something funny? I thought I saw Apollo a minute ago.” I’d laugh but that might tempt fate. I turn back to find him staring down at the inlaid tile.

Mathias points to the mosaic, sheathing his knives. “That’s the brand, isn’t it?”

I squint, but I don’t see what he’s talking about. “Where?”

His hand grips mine, and he pulls me closer. “There.”

In the center of the mosaic is an image of several triangles stacked inside each other, two lines across the point, and a circle above them. I bend down. “Damn. You have good eyesight.” Inside the circle is a tiny symbol. Hephaestus’ brand.

“You might want to step back,” I tell him.

He moves closer. Damn. Nervous, I stand there for a minute, trying to figure out what’s going to happen this time.

He reaches out and takes my other hand. “I’m right here.”

My gaze finds his, and I tilt my head. “Why do you wear glasses? It’s obvious your eyesight is perfect.” Yes, I’m stalling. Sue me. I still want to know, though.

Voices echo outside the gate. “I’ll tell you later.”

I nod and turn back to the brand. Placing my trembling hand directly over it, I hold my breath while I wait for something to happen. A bright light appears, and I squint, trying to see past its rays. It fades, leaving a golden bow and arrow floating in the air.

Mathias moves to get it, but I pull him back.

“The gods are particular about their quests,” I say softly, not wanting them to overhear me. “I wonder what they want me to shoot?”

He looks around. “That,” he says, pointing into the distance. I must appear confused because he elaborates. “There’s a gold serpent wrapped around an apple. It wasn’t there a minute ago.”

I grab the bow and arrow and follow his finger to the pedestal. Emerald eyes stare unblinking at me from the head of the snake as the body slithers around a golden apple.

Bracing myself, I pull back the arrow, but it disappears the moment I release it. “Of course it’s not this easy.”

“Take a few steps back,” he tells me.

I step back, and the tip of the arrow returns.

Continuing backward, I watch a small piece of the arrow reappear with every step until I’m standing in the mosaic with a full arrow in my hand.

“Damn. They want me to shoot from here.” I stare at the weapon in my hand.

“And they’ve only given me one shot. How do I hit a target I can’t see? ”

My eyes find his. “Did you bring binoculars?”

Instead of answering, he tentatively reaches out and strokes the arrow. “No, but as you pointed out, I have excellent eyesight. I can help you.”

I stare at him, afraid of saying yes. What if something happens to him?

He walks behind me. “Stop worrying. Take your stance.”

I take a deep breath and get into position. He slides his body directly in line with mine and covers my hands with his. I silently groan as his breath whispers down my neck, making me want to turn and face him.

Not the time , I remind myself. Concentrate on the task .

“We’re going to pull back the arrow together.” Our hands grasp the nock and the string on the bow, then we draw our arms back until the bow is fully loaded.

I shift my focus to the pedestal at the far end.

“Steady,” he says, adjusting our position. “We’re lined up. Breathe in. Out. That’s it.” His voice in my ear is nothing but confident. Cool. My racing heart steadies. My breath syncs with his. Everything around us blurs. There is only this moment.

“I’ve got the target in my sight,” he assures me. “Close your eyes.”

Trust him, I tell myself. The instant my eyes close, my attention shifts entirely to him. His breaths. The muscles brushing up against me. The timbre of his voice.

“Release in 3, 2… 1,” he murmurs.

Simultaneously, we release the nock, and the arrow flies from our grasp. Opening my eyes, I watch it wing its way to the column. A resounding thwang fills the air. “Did we hit it?”

He smiles and picks me up, twirling me around. “We did.”

Taking my hand in his, he stalks over to the column and pulls the arrow out of the serpent—it instantly transforms into a panel. Similar in size to the one in Rome, the blue panel depicts a vase in the very same pattern as the vase in my vault. I stare at it with a mixture of horror and hope.

“Two down, three to go,” I announce in a cheerful voice, hiding my shaking hands. “Let’s get back. Figure out where to go next.”

He studies me for a second, and I wait for him to say something, but he doesn’t. He simply takes my hand in his and uses his stylus to create a portal for us to step through.