Page 62 of Lovesick Gods (Lovesick #1)

Zeus was smart, but while he thought he was protecting himself and Prometheus, he’d given Hades exactly what he needed.

The lenses of Prometheus’s goggles were small, but they were large enough for Hades to snag the end of a piece of fabric.

He reached through, gripped part of that fascinating black suit, and began to pull and pull it through the reflection, which was easy to complete once he had a good hold of it from his side of the mirror world.

In moments, he’d claimed the black suit for his own.

“Where is it?” a male voice sounded from the mirror in front of Hades only a few moments later. He watched as feet stepped into view through the reflection.

“Maybe it’s still invisible,” a female voice joined him. “Are those Prometheus’s goggles?”

A hand appeared to retrieve them, and Hades got a clear view of a young man’s face when the goggles were lifted—dark skin, grey eyes, long braided hair. That must be ‘Andre’; Hades recognized the voice. Which meant the female was ‘Lynn’.

Prometheus might get credit for the diamond heist tonight, but it was doubtful the police could pin it on anyone, since most of the ice had melted, Prometheus had played things too smart initially, and all Hades had left behind was broken glass.

That’s what had given him the idea to go back for the guard before he tracked Zeus and Prometheus to the alley.

All that glass . A thief was just a thief after all.

Hades wanted the people of Olympus City trembling at his name like they had trembled before Thanatos.

And he had much better plans for Zeus as well.

“Are you going to tell me what’s been going on between Danny and Cho?” Lynn asked.

“Uhh…I think he should be the one to tell you.”

“Andre…”

“Something’s not right,” Andre said, holding the goggles at his side, giving Hades a view of the ground. “The tracker went dead. A second ago it said the suit was right here .”

They wouldn’t find any trace of it now, not when it had found a new home in the mirror world. Staring at the fabric in his hands, Hades grinned. Breaking Zeus was going to be much more fun than simply killing him. For now, he just had to bide his time.

?

Mal felt like he might throw up when he and Danny finally came to a stop out of the whirlwind of lightning, and he realized they were standing in his apartment.

He’d lost his new comms and his goggles; he would not lose his lunch.

Priestly was going to be pissed at him, especially if any of his creations could be tracked back to the shop, but for now all Mal could focus on was keeping the room from spinning.

“Are you okay?” Danny asked. Funny, considering the kid didn’t look much better than he did. Mal just wanted one chance to get his hands on Ludgate so he could bash the man’s teeth in. He didn’t usually find catharsis in hands-on brutality, but for this asshole he’d make an exception.

“Glass of water and some painkillers and I’ll be right as rain,” Mal said. He seriously hoped he was right about that. He’d had a concussion before, which this definitely was, but he didn’t think any of the other damage was lasting, much as it hurt to move.

“Here,” Danny said and flipped on the light before leading Mal to the counter in the kitchen.

Mal steadied himself against it while Danny darted away. It was too dizzying to follow the kid’s movements, but when he looked up and saw that his curtains had been drawn, he figured he understood what Danny was doing—covering every reflective surface he could find. Assuming that would help.

Finally, Mal turned and got a glass of water. Then his ibuprofen out of the medicine cabinet above the stove. He’d downed four of them and finished off the water by the time Danny returned.

“I think that’s everything,” Danny said with a faint pant to his breath. His face had a few harsh looking dings, but Mal guessed his body had it worse.

Refilling the glass, he handed it to Danny. The pills wouldn’t work on him, but water was something at least. Danny practically chugged it.

“Come here,” Mal said once he’d set the glass aside.

Reaching for the duster, he pulled it from Danny’s shoulders to take in the sight of him.

Danny’s feet were dirty, his shoulders and chest and everywhere blossoming with bruises and scrapes.

It made him look small and fragile standing there in his underwear.

Mal trailed his fingertips down the center of Danny’s chest to his ribs where one of them had been broken.

“I’ll be fine. I heal fast, remember? Let me take care of you .

You should be sitting.” Danny placed a hand on Mal’s less bruised and swollen cheek, touching him every chance he could and seeking comforts Mal didn’t usually offer.

But then, Mal had been doing the same thing, like he needed to feel Danny’s skin to remind himself he wasn’t a reflection that would vanish.

“Danny…” Mal backed out of Danny’s touch. This was a bad idea. Danny needed more than just him tonight. He needed more than just him .

But Danny followed after him and reached for his neck tentatively with a cringe on his face from remembering how he’d clenched his hands there earlier. “Please, can I stay? I don’t want to go home yet.”

“They’re going to wonder what happened to you.”

“I’ll call them later. Later . I’ll tell them I’m okay, I just… Please,” his voice caught on a sob, “don’t make me leave.”

Mal sighed. He’d never been able to refuse Lucy when she was crying either. “You can stay. If you’re sure?”

Danny nodded frantically. “You’re still hurt. I can help. Or maybe you should call your nurse? I can…I can wait upstairs while they’re here and—”

“Danny, it’s fine. You want to check me out, feel free. But I plan to clean up and go to bed. I’ll see the nurse in the morning.”

“Okay,” Danny nodded again, but he didn’t let go. He kept his hand hooked around Mal’s neck like it was a lifeline he needed to keep from crumbling to the floor.

“Come on. Gotta put this away,” Mal said, prying Danny’s fingers off himself but holding on tightly as he drew the hand down. He smiled as he turned and led Danny from the kitchen.

Holding Danny in one hand and his duster in the other, Mal felt more grounded during the short trek to his secret room. It didn’t matter anymore; Danny knowing where he kept his gear seemed trivial after tonight.

When the invisible seal in the wall shifted and the door slid out of the way, Danny stepped up next to Mal and peered inside curiously. Mal had a few backup pieces stored—extra bodysuits, boots—but the hook in the back for the duster was empty, and a stand for his amplifier lay waiting.

“How James Bond of you,” Danny said, still somber but a little more genuine in his smile.

When Mal had put everything away save the bodysuit he still wore, he snatched up his phone from inside the room, almost having forgotten he’d stashed it there. Dangerous to have it with him on a heist. He had several text messages and calls from Lucy. Perfect.

“Let me put my sister’s mind at ease. Get yourself cleaned up and into some fresh clothes. Bring some down for me too. Then you can take care of me however you like.”

“First-aid kit?” Danny asked.

“Bathroom, under the sink.”

“I’ll be quick.”

“Wouldn’t expect any less,” Mal smirked, then frowned at his phone as soon as Danny left.

Walking sluggishly toward the sofa, he scrolled through Lucy’s text messages as he went. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, he could feel his wounds more acutely. At least it eased his dizziness to have something to focus on.

What the hell happened?!

Police at the museum, did they get you?!

Mickey, I will kick your ass from here to Sunday if you don’t answer me!

Can’t believe your boytoy is Zeus.

Mal sagged down onto the end of the sofa. Dom had to go and open her big mouth. Not that Mal hadn’t given Lucy plenty to work with, letting Danny whisk her and Dom out of the museum while he stayed inside.

Safe. At home. Don’t come over, he sent her.

He expected the immediate retort: Busy entertaining Sparky?

Yes. It’s complicated.

I’ll bet. You get the diamond?

Ludgate beat us to it. I’ll explain tomorrow. He debated telling her to avoid mirrors, but that would only broach more questions. She was safe from Ludgate for now. As safe as anyone else.

You better . Jerk , she said, which was as close to ‘I love you’ as either of them got.

Mal smiled as he replied, Brat.

“You really shouldn’t let me rummage through your clothes,” Danny’s voice carried over from the stairway. “I find out all sorts of dirty secrets.”

Tossing his phone onto the coffee table, Mal glanced over.

Danny looked refreshed and clean, the visible bruises on his face already fading.

He wore Mal’s long-sleeved grey T-shirt and navy sweats, while carrying the first-aid kit and a damp washcloth, along with a black shirt thrown over his arm and a pair of white sleep pants… with lightning bolts on them.

Shit.

“Those were a gift.”

“Sure they were.” That puppy smile was blinding in the way Mal most adored, but there was a crack in it that couldn’t be banished. When Danny sat, placing the first-aid kit and cloth on the coffee table, there was a heaviness between them painted in pain and bruises from the long night.

“You don’t have to do that,” Mal said.

“Do what?”

“Smile for me.”

Danny’s expression was blank by the time he looked at Mal, still holding the Zeus-like sleep pants.

“I…I just feel like…if I don’t smile, I’ll start crying again and won’t be able to stop.

” On cue, a tear slipped free and dropped onto the fabric in his lap.

He laughed and brushed it away. “To be fair, it’s not completely fake.

Finding these totally deserved a smile.”