Page 5 of Loved by Aphrodite (Gods and Beasts #4)

Chapter 5

Aphrodite

A phrodite put her phone down and sighed. All this waiting was driving her crazy. She had never felt so helpless as she did now, not to mention, the prayers and emotions from everyone who had downloaded the app overwhelmed her to the point she couldn’t concentrate properly. Thankfully, she’d learned to manage it before it became a deluge by putting a temporary block on the prayers. However, this was a conscious effort on her part, and if she got distracted, the block sometimes slipped.

Like when she saw Hephaestus with Artemis.

After the divorce, she’d heard a few murmurs about her ex-husband and the goddess of the hunt, about how they’d been spotted together or how she was often seen entering and leaving his home at all hours of the day. It shouldn’t have bothered her. She and Hephaestus were, after all, divorced after what essentially had been a marriage in name only. Also, whenever she met with Artemis, she’d never felt anything off or awkwardness from the other goddess, nor did she have that glow of someone in lust or love, so she knew that the two were only friends.

Still, seeing the two of them looking so obviously comfortable with each other had struck a nerve in her. Hephaestus had been guarded around her this entire time, which was understandable given the circumstances. But it was obvious her call had interrupted them. When Hephaestus had laughed at something Artemis had said off-screen, a stab of jealousy pierced her right in the chest. Aphrodite could only count a handful of times she had seen him truly laugh, and usually, it was not because of something she had said or did.

She mentally shook her head. Hephaestus owed her nothing. In fact, she was the one who owed him, not only for rescuing them from Cyncus long ago but for taking care of Eros.

And now here he was again, playing knight in shining armor.

But she couldn’t just sit back and play the damsel in distress, not this time, and certainly not when the world was in peril. She was the goddess of love, after all, and she had a duty to mankind. She would locate Eros and make him fix what he broke.

But where was he?

Making a mental list of his usual haunts, she visited each one, searching for her son. There was his favorite dive bar in Paris, a private island off the east coast of Malaysia, the rooftop of St. Mark’s Cathedral in San Francisco, and several other locations where Eros was known to hang out. She’d exhausted all of them, and yet there was no sign of her son.

Well, there was one place she hadn’t checked. It was, unfortunately, the one place in the world she never wanted to go back to.

Vale Crossing.

Eros had never hidden the fact that he often returned to his place of birth, though that was some years after Cyncus had died. She couldn’t blame him; after all, while he attained godhood and was able to retract and unfurl his wings, he was still half geryon. Perhaps that part of him longed to be around other creatures like himself.

Vale Crossing was a sanctuary for magical beings who didn’t have the luxury of being out in the open. Thousands of years ago, humans and magical beings lived together in harmony, though as time passed, people changed and as their belief in the gods and magic waned, they also turned against the creatures and condemned and cast them out.

Shifters like Geri and Cade had human forms and therefore could live out in society to some extent. However, creatures who couldn’t transform, like Minotaurs, satyrs, centaurs, sirens, and of course, the winged geryons and gigantic scaly Drakkons needed a place to live, and so, they founded Vale Crossing.

Vale Crossing’s location was secret, except for those who already knew where it was. Aphrodite wasn’t quite sure where it was located on the Upperworld either, as the magic that protected it was older than the gods themselves. All she knew was that it was vast enough that the various creatures who lived there had staked out their own territory. For example, Cyncus had been the leader of the geryons and their city was founded atop a high plateau that only winged creatures could reach.

She thought about the last time she was in Vale Crossing, ignoring the knots in her stomach as she teleported there.

Opening her eyes, she found herself in the middle of the capital city, Alindale. It wasn’t officially the capital of Vale Crossing, but it was the largest and oldest city and thus the most modern of all the places. It reminded her of a smaller London or Paris, and the River Cirdell like a cleaner Thames or Seine.

“Oops!” She felt a jostling behind her as someone bumped into her.

“Pardon me!” a feminine voice said.

“No, it was my fault.” Whirling around, she faced the other person. “I just appeared out of nowhere, sorry about that.”

The woman dressed in a smart suit and high heels holding a coffee cup in her hand looked like any young office worker in a big city except she had a head full of tiny serpents for hair. A gorgon, she wore dark glasses to shield others from her deadly gaze. “No, I was in a hurry and wasn’t looking where I was going. Anyway, tata, I’m late for a meeting,” she said before rushing off.

Yes, she truly was in Vale Crossing.

Glancing around, she saw she had arrived at a busy intersection. People dashed about on the sidewalk, toward what appeared to be a large underground subway station. It was rush hour, if the buses, cars, and trucks slowed to a crawl on the street were any indication.

It’s all so different.

But then again, she hadn’t been here in millennia, so of course it had all changed. Gone were the quaint little streets and winding cart-filled roads and little shops. They had been replaced by steel buildings and busy sidewalks and department stores. While she’d heard about the changes to Vale Crossing over the years from Eros, to see it herself was a marvel.

She began to walk, taking in the sights, hoping to find some trace of him. She wasn’t headed anywhere in particular as she didn’t recognize anything anymore. She was hoping to find a sign or something familiar, but as hours passed, it became more apparent to her that this was like finding a needle in a haystack. And while everything that she knew about this place was long gone, she couldn’t help but think back to the years she spent in Vale Crossing with Cyncus, when it was good, but mostly, the memories of the latter years overtook her brain.

She stopped, feeling her chest tighten.

Eros , she called silently, stirring up the magical link between them. As his mother, she could usually sense where he was and even transport herself to him in an emergency, but she rarely used that particular power. For one thing, she had caught him too many times in compromising positions. But mostly, it took so much energy that it could leave her drained for days, and she was already using most of her power to keep the prayer block in place.

Eros , she called again, but heard nothing back. Nor did she feel his presence anywhere near.

He wasn’t here.

Thank goodness, because that meant she didn’t have to stay. She teleported back to Mount Olympus, right outside Hephaestus’s house. She had been gone so long, so surely he should be done by now? He did say to check in after twelve hours and it had been long past that.

She entered the house and headed straight to his workshop, stopping in the first room. That familiar scent of wood, metal, and the warmth of the smelting fires soothed her and eased away her anxieties and bad memories. While the next room contained all the modern contraptions Hephaestus seemingly preferred these days, she liked this place better. It was more him, at least the him she knew in those days of their marriage. This place reminded her of his other workshop, the one he had built in the home they shared.

After they had successfully taken away Cyncus’s magic and whisked Eros away from Vale Crossing, they couldn’t go to Mount Olympus as Eros was still a mortal demi-god. And so, the three of them lived on a remote island where no one would find them, only occasionally going to Mount Olympus when necessary. She had been surprised when Hephaestus declared that he would be living there, too, but he insisted it was only to keep up appearances in front of the other gods and Zeus. They could not risk his wrath, not after what they had done to Cyncus, and certainly not before Eros had a chance to partake of the golden apple.

And so, they lived there, watching over and raising Eros for the next fifteen years. It had been such a short span of time compared to the thousands of years they lived that sometimes it had felt like she had imagined it. But at that time, it had been more like a sweet, lucid dream after the nightmare she had lived through. Hephaestus had been there through it all, helping with Eros, building him his first bow, and even finding an instructor to teach Eros how to shoot. He taught him things that his biological father should have done.

Her heart clenched. She hadn’t thought of those days in a long while. There were pockets of happiness, yes, but the overwhelming feeling she remembered now was the guilt. Even thinking about it now made her anxiety seep back in, so she pushed it aside.

“Hello?” she called as she entered his main workshop. All the computer screens were lit up and the PCs whirred audibly, but Hephaestus was nowhere to be found. Was he still in Alaska?

A faint sound caught her attention. It sounded like water. Curious, she followed the sound until she reached a door at the other end of the workshop. She reached for the handle to open it, but instead it opened by itself.

“What— mmphh !”

A force slammed her up against the wall and a large hand clamped over the lower half of her face as a hard, muscled body pressed up against her.

“Who the hell—Aphrodite?”

She blinked up at him as his dark eyes widened. Both remained still, and a thrill ran up her spine at the feel of his chest against hers. A very naked chest.

“Sorry. I thought you were an intruder.” He dropped his hands to his side and stepped away, clutching the white towel at his waist. For some reason, disappointment filled her that he was only half naked, though she couldn’t stop staring at his wide chest, remembering how she would watch him work at the forges without his shirt on, hammering at the anvil while sweat poured down his golden skin, pounding and pounding on?—

“ Ahem . Aphrodite?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Wha—oh?” Her head snapped up to meet his gaze. “I, uh…I was wondering if that program of yours was done?” Something was different about him, but he quickly turned away before she could figure out what.

“Yeah, we can take a look. I just got back from Alaska. Let me finish getting dressed and I’ll check on the progress.”

“Uh, sure.” Backing away, she left his shower room and closed the door behind her. She pressed her palms to her cheeks, feeling the warmth there. When was the last time she’d felt embarrassed? She frankly couldn’t remember, especially not when gazing at a fine male form.

And Hephaestus truly was fine.

She swallowed hard. Despite all their years together on that island, nothing had happened between them. They were like roommates, living in the same house, but never shared a bed. Hephaestus never left the island to visit any lovers; as Goddess of Love, she would have known. For fifteen years, he remained loyal to her, to their vows, and their marriage. So had she, but that was more a response to the trauma she experienced with Cyncus. Perhaps that’s why the guilt had built more over the?—

“Aphrodite?”

“Yes?” She spun around. “Have you…” Her breath caught in her throat. He was now dressed in a tight, long-sleeved henley shirt that stretched across his chest and wrapped tight around his torso and a pair of blue jeans. Back in the old days, he had never cared for dressing up, preferring comfortable outfits over whatever was in fashion. In the last couple of days, he had been dressed in clothes that had seen better days, and scuffed work-boots. The clothes he currently wore looked brand new and fit much better. However, what had truly taken her by surprise was his face—she could actually see more of it with the beard neatly trimmed now. His hair, too, was cropped short and close to his head. His tidied hair and beard allowed more of his features to shine through, like his sharp, straight nose, high cheekbones, and full lips.

“Have I what?”

She cleared her throat, her cheeks heating once more. “Nothing. I mean, can we take a look at that program?”

Wordlessly, he walked past her toward the wall of screens on the other end. Her nose detected the slightest scent of a spicy aftershave and warmth pooled in her belly at the sexy, designer smell. She grabbed onto the edge of the table as her knees buckled.

Get yourself together!

With a calming breath, she followed him as he hunched back over the keyboard, typing away as lines of code flew across the screen, hewing and humming every now and then. A few minutes later, his fingers stopped and he pushed away from the desk, muttering a curse under his breath.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, gripping the back of his chair. “Did your program work?”

“No.” He blew out a breath.

“Why not? I thought you said you could pull things apart and work around it?”

“I could…if I used the same type of magic as Eros. I can’t even get near whatever spell he’s buried deep in there because my powers simply aren’t capable of handling it. It’s like trying to use Python when a computer only speaks Java.”

“In English, please?”

He spun around to face her. “My magic and his magic simply aren’t compatible. But”—he rubbed his beard with his thumb and forefinger—“but yours might be.”

“My magic?” She shook her head. “No, that’s not how it works. Only the person who cast a spell can undo it.”

“That’s not always true,” he countered. “Only the person who cast the spell knows how it was made, which makes it easier for them to undo it. But anyone who knows how it was cast could, theoretically, undo it.”

“I’ve never used such a spell before, and certainly not on computers. How would I know how he formulated it?”

“Because he’s your son. You know him best, out of everyone in the entire universe. You also taught him everything you knew once he became God of Love and Desire.”

“H-how did you know?”

“He told me. When he comes to visit me, I would ask him about you.”

Her heart stuttered. “You asked about me?”

“I mean, his lessons with you, yes,” he said quickly.

Oh, right. “I just don’t know, Hephaestus. What if I do something wrong and trigger a counter curse instead?” That was one way that magic users prevented other people from messing with their work. “What if I make things worse?”

“And what if you don’t?” Rising from his chair, he towered over her, yet she didn’t feel cowed by his massive frame. “What if you succeed and fix everything?”

Dark eyes fixed on her, and she found herself staring up, lost in the depths of those onyx pools. “I suppose I could try.”

The corners of his mouth twitched up. “Alright, let’s do this.” Swiveling his chair around, he motioned for her to sit. “Okay, place your hands over the keyboard.”

“Like this?”

“Yes.”

She glanced up at him. “Do I have to type anything?”

“No, just use the keyboard as a conduit to access the magic within.”

“I’m not sure how to do that.” Her nose wrinkled.

Leaning down, he brought his head closer to hers so they were at eye level. “Remember how you use healing magic? How you let your powers flow through someone and find the sick or wounded parts and fix it with your magic? Do the same. Except this time, you’re doing it to a computer.”

“I’ll try.” Calling up her magic, she allowed it to flow through her fingers and into the keyboard. The energy flowed forward, moving through the wires and to the various electronic systems. However, being unfamiliar with how computers worked, it all looked like a jumbled mess to her.

“I can’t do it,” she cried. “It’s too much. I’m lost.”

“You can do it, Aphrodite.”

“How do you know? I’m just the goddess of love. What do I know about these damned things?” She clucked her tongue. “I’m just not as smart as you.”

“Don’t say that.”

A heavy palm landed on her shoulder, the warmth of his skin penetrating the thin layer of her top. Thank goodness she was sitting down as her knees had turned to jelly at his touch.

“You’re much smarter than you give yourself credit for,” he whispered, his mouth so close to her ear she could feel his breath. “Love isn’t frivolous or stupid. It’s done so much to change the world, made so many things possible. Death can stop a heart from beating, but it will keep on loving until the end of time.”

His words stirred up something inside her, something she had thought she’d buried so deep and so long ago that she would never have to think about it or face it again. She wanted to respond, but feared the words that threatened to spill from her lips. So, instead, she turned back to the computer and began to work.

She let her magic flow back into the computer. Healing magic was one of the most complex to perform because she first had to know what was wrong with someone to fix them. A broken arm or a bullet wound was easy, but internal injuries and ailments were much more difficult because it wasn’t something you could see. In that case, she had to send her magic far and wide, like casting a net to catch fish, to find whatever sickness or damage was inside the body. So, she did the same here, casting her magic like a wide net, looking for something that was out of place inside the computer.

There.

She felt it—a twinge in her chest, like someone plucking a string and sending a signal back to her. It was familiar to her, calling to her, a reflection of her own being.

Love magic.

She followed it back like a beacon, finding it hidden amongst the chips and wires and lines of codes within the processor. It looked like a heart, alive and beating, powering the entire system. The magic was so beautiful and intricate that for a moment she could only watch it in awe, so proud of her son for creating such a complex spell. No wonder it had caused so much chaos.

Focusing her own magic, she wove it around the heart, covering it completely. She recognized parts of the spell, things she did, indeed, teach Eros. Bits and pieces of magic here and there that seemed disjointed, but when she saw the patterns, she found that she could undo them. One by one, she dismantled the parts, until the magic simply dissipated.

She released the breath she was holding and jolted back into the real world.

“You did it.” It was a statement, one that was full of confidence.

“I did?” Gasping, she shot up from the chair. “I did it!’ Excitement flowed through her as she threw her arms around Hephaestus’s neck. “I can’t believe?—”

“I did.” Strong arms wrapped around her middle and pulled her close. “I always believed you could.”

“Thank you!” She kissed his cheek—which made his entire body stiffen. Horror filled her as she realized what she had done. “I…uh…” She let go of his neck at the same time he released her.

He pulled the chair back and sat down, then began to type on the keyboard. “Looks like it’s cleared.”

She pushed away the shock and embarrassment threatening to overwhelm her. “It is?”

“Yeah, the spell is gone…”

“Thank goodness,” she sighed in relief. “That means everything should be back to normal, right? All those couples should be coming to their senses?”

He grunted. “Should be. But only you can know for sure.”

“Right.” Clearing her mind, she opened up to the prayers once again. But instead of that soft, steady hum, that overpowering wave returned. The desperation, the chaotic energy, the intense heat swirled around her.

“No!” She slammed the block back in place. “It’s still there.”

His dark eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“It didn’t work, whatever we did.”

“But you shut it down…wait a second.” Turning back to the screens, he began to type furiously. “Fuck!”

“What’s wrong?”

He scrubbed a hand down her face. “You managed to shut off the system that powered the magic-infused code, but only one part of it.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s like…you shut off the brain, but the heart is still pumping. But, essentially, no new users will be able to download the app, which stops it from spreading.”

“Oh, thank goodness. But what about the rest of the people who already have it? Couldn’t you, I don’t know, shut down their phones?”

“No, not all one hundred fifty million users.”

“One hundred…” She slapped a hand over her forehead. “What are we going to do?”

He cracked his knuckles. “I don’t know, but I’m going to find a way to stop all of this.”