Shafted Read online

  Him.

  Anteros’s mind raced ahead and he felt sick. Like watching a car spin out of control heading for the ditch, he knew he was powerless to stop what was about to happen.

  From one heart beat to the next, time stepped in line again and the imprint took hold. Callie’s face lit up. Seeing the false adoration shining so bright in her beautiful eyes, her heart filled to overflowing, shattered his into tiny pieces.

  Chapter 12

  Callie couldn’t remember anything after telling Teran about her mother and grandmother not getting along. And what the heck was wrong with him? He looked like he was ready to peel his skin off, he was fidgeting so much.

  “Sorry about the noise Mrs. Turnbull. Callie fell asleep and I didn’t want to turn on another light in case it woke her. So I ended up stumbling on the rug, banging my shin into the chair and knocking it over.”

  When exactly had she done that? She didn’t remember feeling sleepy.

  “Callista, Sweetie-pie, are you sure you’re okay?”

  She hated it when Christian called her that. Even though his concern was genuine, the way he was fussing like a mother-hen, made her want to push him off the couch. “Chris, please, for the third time, I’m fine. You heard Teran. I dozed off. It was him who banged his shin, not me.”

  Hoping he wouldn’t sense how badly she needed him to back off, she put pressure on his shoulders pressing him back and bounced to her feet. “See all good.” By the confused look on his face she hadn’t totally succeeded.

  Mrs. Turnbull turned the overhead light on and gave each of them a pointed look. “Well, I’m just happy everything and everyone’s okay. Now if you’ll follow me Mr. Stapleton, since you’re settled into your room now, we can see about putting together something for you to eat.

  “Oh and Callie, there’s an email for you from Community Services. You can access it from the desktop at the front desk or there’s a plug in thingy there behind the desk for a laptop.

  “Mr. Anders if you need anything for your leg, there’s first aid supplies in the upstairs bathroom.” With that she sailed from the room on fuzzy slippers with her paisley patterned house coat flapping around her ankles and disappeared around the corner.

  Christian looked at the empty doorway and back at Callie. “I think I should walk you to your room.” He sent a sideways glance at Teran.

  Who did he think he was kidding? “Don’t be silly. Mrs. Turnbull’s making you up a plate, and I’m fine thank you.”

  His mouth opened and his stomach growled. Callie’s eyebrow shot up and his jaw snapped shut. Escaping through the door with a red face, he grumbled over his shoulder. “Well night then. See you in the morning.” He shot one last look Teran’s way that left no doubt what he was thinking.

  A loud pop from the fire broke the spell and they both started to snicker. Callie held her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter and Teran had to sit down at the table and hide his head in his arms for the same reason.

  Whether it was Mrs. Turnbull’s flourished exit in flannel, Christian’s completely out of character belly protest, or the fact the tension between them had reached a breaking point, it seemed to take forever before they got themselves back under control and not before they both had tears in their eyes.

  “Whew, enough. Now I get why people say they died laughing, my sides are killing me. I can’t take it anymore.”

  “You can’t? What about me? I must look horrible with mascara down to my chin.”

  All traces of humor drained from his face and the crackle of the fire fell away, taking the last of his laughter with it. “Callie, you couldn’t look horrible if you tried.”

  Tension of a different sort flooded the room sending butterflies winging up her chest and down her arms. Teran had that almost predatory look about him again and was staring at her with such longing and intensity it was down right mesmerizing. He was so handsome, he stole her breath away.

  Teran rose to his feet and started toward her. Her heart wanted to fly, but specters of the hot and cold nature of their encounters so far, held her back. Without realizing it, Callie shifted a little higher, pressing herself further into the corner of the sofa, indecision sending a tendril of doubt through her. No, he was not going to do this again, was he?

  Something in her expression must have telegraphed her thoughts and Teran’s eyes grew wide, his step faltering. Callie looked down and discovered her hands were shaking. She couldn’t continue riding this rollercoaster. If he couldn’t make up his mind, she’d do it for him before her stupid heart had anything more to say in the matter.

  Lifting her eyes from the hands she’d clamped tight together, Callie jumped. Teran was suddenly sitting on the coffee table in front of her. He was way across the room a second ago? How’d he do that?

  Teran reached out, took hold of her hands and coaxed them apart, much like he had that first day. There was such sincerity in his beautiful eyes her brain hiccupped shoving her great intentions aside. Damn, her sneaky heart had already said too much and her brain apparently was listening - the traitor.

  “No, Callie, it’s not what you’re thinking.”

  She opened her mouth to argue, desperate to extract herself before it was too late, but he brought their entwined hands up to press one long finger to her lips and the words on her tongue refused to form.

  “Shhh, let me finish. I tried to tell you this the other day, but I handled it so badly and you were so angry, you were gone before I could.” Leaning in closer he dropped his finger and pulled their hands toward his lips to brush a fleeting kiss over her knuckles. “I know how things must’ve looked, that I was regretting what happened between us.”

  “Teran, you really don’t have to explain yourself—”

  “Yes I do. There is so much more going on than you know; believe me, it’s not you it’s—”

  “Oh no!” Callie pulled, trying to get loose, but he shifted his grip making sure he wasn’t hurting her but left no doubt he wasn’t letting go either. “We are not having the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ conversation! Forget it.”

  “You’re right we aren’t.” He tipped forward touching his forehead to hers. “Callie, if it was up to me, I’d grab on tight and never let you go. I’ve never felt this way about anyone, but there are reasons I can’t. Ones you wouldn’t believe, even if I could tell you.”

  Her heart already beating too fast ramped up another notch. He’d grab on and never let her go? Never felt this way before? Those words resonated deep in her soul, feeling more right than she ever imagined they could. It was like something had opened up inside her and she didn’t want it to close again.

  Callie wiggled one hand free and this time he let her. “Teran, I don’t know how this happened so fast and I don’t even think I care. All I know right now is I feel the same way.” She swept a wayward lock of hair from his face and ducked her head so she could look into his eyes. “You can trust me. What could be so wild you won’t even try to explain it to me?” A small smile crept onto her face. “Really, unless you’re about to tell me you’re from another dimension or you’re a vampire or something, I think I can handle it.”

  All the color fled from his face and icy fingers traced her spine. “Teran?” Instead of answering he leaned in with a barely there caress of his lips to hers, igniting both fire and fear in her.

  “Callista, I was going to grab a fresh drink and wondered if you’d like...one?” Christian stood in the doorway with a partial glass of water in his hand and look of shock on his face. “What’s going on here?”

  Teran’s dark eyes held hers briefly, but not long enough for her to decipher everything laid bare in them. “I was just saying good night to Callie.” Standing he stepped away before she could stop him and her breath caught as he returned the favor and tucked a stray curl back behind her ear. “Glad you’re feeling better now. Sleep well.”

  As though watching a movie screen, the events taking place in front of her seemed beyond her control. Callie sa
w Teran hesitate at the doorway, like he was considering looking back over his shoulder at her and from the audience she cheered him on, desperately hoping he would. Instead she watched him nod his head once as he passed Christian and melt into the shadowed foyer beyond.

  Why did she suddenly feel so empty?

  A vice clamped down on her chest making it hard to breath and pain, too much for her heart to deal with alone, shot down the muscles of her arms into her hands.

  Had she fallen in love with him? Is that why?

  The back door closed rattling the parlor windows and Callie’s world stopped turning. She knew who’d just walked out that door.

  She finally understood what her mother had been trying to tell her. While there was never a guarantee, somehow she’d realized love was rare but did demand one thing in return: courage.

  Teran was gone and he’d taken her heart with him. Question was did she have enough courage to go after both of them?

  Chapter 13

  Anteros paced along the frozen lake shore where he’d first met Callie and ranted till he was hoarse; calling for his brother, mother, uncle, anyone who’d listen to his plea. Seeing the light of love shining in Callie’s eyes, and having his heart sing in response, was more punishment than he could take.

  It was bad enough fighting his own arrow induced feelings, but to see them mirrored in her and have it feel so good knowing none of it was real was killing him.

  He needed his damn bow.

  “All right, I’ll beg if that’s what it takes. Please, do whatever you want to me, but don’t take her will away like that.” He’d seen the way Christian looked at her; the blasted mortal loved her too. She should have a choice. “Did you hear me? I’m begging you! Send my bow.”

  The wind skipped in gusts across the lake, spinning ice and snow eddies in all directions. A dot of light began to glow hot in one spot growing wider until the edge of it touched the shore. At first Anteros didn’t realize what he was looking at.

  A dome, laced with dancing iridescence waves chasing over the surface lifted from the centre until it stopped at the edge of the glowing circle. A portal, here?

  “Yes Tero, a portal, here.” The light waves shot toward the center and a figure began to appear. It was like looking into ripples and seeing a person beneath the water before the vision finally took a recognizable solid shape. “Don’t look so surprised. There are a few places left on earth where the energy still pulses strong enough to bridge our worlds.”

  “Psyche, is that you?” The last time Anteros had seen his sister-in-law, after a particularly bad spell his brother had gone through, she’d been a ghost of the vibrant beauty standing before him now.

  The limp blond hair was gone, replaced by waves of amber she’d tamed into a myriad of shimmering braids. Gone also were the traditional Olympian robes. Instead she wore a sleeveless black leather number that stopped a little above mid thigh. Not that you could see much of her legs. They were encased in thigh high boots sporting buckles around the ankles matching the ones he’d seen on his brother’s. Come to think of it, Eros had gone all biker since he’d seen him last too – and looked better than he had in eons.

  “Yup it’s me. Whatcha think?” She spun a pirouette in mid air and gracefully floated to the ground. “I know. I know you don’t have to say it. Cool huh.” As her feet touched the ground, her expression turned serious and she pulled something from behind her back. “Anteros here, take it quickly, before they notice I’m gone.”

  His black titanium bow glowed softly in the moon light.

  “I don’t have time to explain everything, but know they did everything out of love for you.”

  Anteros hand automatically grasped his weapon at the sweet spot where centuries of use by him alone had created a perfect seat for his hand. “Then why did you bring this to me?”

  She looked at him with a sad smile. “Because I know what it does to your brother every time he shafts someone in an ambro-fever fit, so I know what having your little mortal friend’s will thwarted must be doing to you.” She started to drift backwards toward the portal.

  With her words came a cold realization he’d blinded himself to since his brother’s fall. He’d been so angry at Eros, not because of what he’d ended up doing, but because he’d lost his brother. All this time, he’d held onto a self-righteous grudge over something no one, least of all his twin, could control.

  A knot of guilt grated against his voice choking the strength from it. “Psyche, I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I was so angry having to clean up after him I never gave any thought to what it was doing to him.” Compassion shone from her face giving him hope Eros might one day forgive him. “Tell him, please, for me. I didn’t understand...and I’m sorry I haven’t been there for him.”

  “Oh Tero, he knows this. He’s the embodiment of love and love can’t exist without patience, sacrifice and especially forgiveness – you big goof!” Her form started to waiver and the dome began to shrink back on itself. “But Bro, before you shoot her with your little black beauties there, maybe you could think about giving yourself one night to hold on to when you’re...living with Uncle Grumpy?”

  “Psyche I can’t do—”

  “There’s a gift in your quiver from your cousin, Morpheus. He said to tell you all you need to do is open the vial and whatever mortal is within twenty feet of it will believe they are dreaming until you put the stopper back in.” Before he could say a word she held her hand up to stop him. “Tero, think about it, one mortal lifetime locked away in a cell with something good to hold on to? Or eternity locked in that same cell with nothing...well you know what I’m saying.”

  She blew a kiss he felt brush his cheek and the dome collapsed back in on itself, shrinking until it vanished in a pin prick of light under the frozen surface of the lake.

  It was so tempting to take Psyche’s advice. If Callie believed them being together was a dream, he could always cancel his brother’s arrow with his own after and she wouldn’t know the difference.

  Shorten his sentence and be with Callie? He’d be crazy not to. He also knew better than to tempt fate or himself by staying in the room down the hall from her tonight or he might just do it. The cramping in his muscles meant he had to stay close, and he had to make sure she was in range so when he got the chance he’d have a clear shot, but he didn’t have to be a martyr about it.

  He’d wait till he saw her light go on upstairs, then he’d camp out on the parlor sofa till morning. A picture of her lying on that sofa earlier with the firelight turning her skin to warm silk was all it took and his body sprang to attention adding an even stiffer muscle to his list of complaints.

  Guess the back seat of the car would have to do.

  Chapter 14

  Callie flopped herself across her bed without turning on the lights. Making peace with Christian had been a good thing, but couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Everything in her needed to go after Teran but she couldn’t leave Christian standing there. The man might be self absorbed, but he wasn’t blind or without feelings and the look on his face had said it all.

  After they’d talked things through she had to give him credit. He’d taken it very graciously. He’d even offered to stay on until Grandee’s place was back in order, for old time’s sake, but she still felt awful and with no idea where to look for Teran, just wanted the day over with.

  Something about the way he’d left hadn’t sat right. He’d been gone for a few hours now and she had a terrible feeling Teran wasn’t just out, he was gone. Hugging a pillow she scrunched it into her belly trying to somehow fill the hole. It didn’t work. With every tick of the clock the empty ache got worse. If her fears were true, what was she going to do? Callie’s eyes started to burn with the threat of tears and she had to blink several times.

  A blue flash lit the room from outside the window facing the lake and caught Callie’s attention. Was someone taking pictures with a high powered flash? Who would be out there doing that at this time o
f night?

  Another burst turned the curtains purple and drew her to the window. Reaching her hand out she pulled the curtain back enough to look out, but not enough to be seen from outside.

  With the room dark it didn’t take much time for her eyes to adjust. The moon’s silver touch created the illusion of something glowing under the surface of the frozen lake and clearly illuminated a lone figure standing on the edge of it; a black silhouette in a sea of blue and grey.

  Teran!

  Relief turned her knee joints to rubber and she had to grab the window casing or risk ending up on her butt. He hadn’t left. The blood circulating through her system picked up speed. Maybe she still had a chance after all.

  He started slowly making his way toward the path she knew would hide him from view until he reached the top. She wouldn’t be able to see him...which meant he wouldn’t see her either. Suddenly she wasn’t tired anymore.

  Charging into the adjoining bathroom, she clicked on the light to brush her teeth and freshened up, ignoring the voice in her head telling her she was acting like a teenager.

  As she fluffed her hair her ring’s twin rubies caught the light and seemed to frown at her. For a moment she was back sitting at her grandmother’s feet in front of the fire that last autumn night they’d spent together; the night she’d given Callie her ring.

  She could still hear Grandee’s voice. “You don’t betray it; it won’t betray you. Hang on to your heart girl and the ring there will keep you safe.”

  Focusing on the face looking back at her from the mirror, Callie saw her grandmother’s fire flickering in her own eyes for the first time in her life.

  Maybe safe wasn’t good enough anymore.

  Lowering her hand she started to tug on the ring. “Sorry Grandee, but I can’t keep making excuses and hiding behind fairy tales and imaginary curses any longer. It’s time to quit running.”