The War God's Woman 3

8. Zombie Roommate

Sage yawned loudly. Walking the final stretch to the city had knackered her. She sat on the bed and examined her poor feet. The ashy banks of the Phlegethon had been scorching hot and had melted the sole of her trainers. She winced as she gingerly touched the blisters on her toes. The brattier part of her mind couldn't resist blaming Ares a little bit for this. If he'd just taken her to the city himself, they could have flown all the way.

She sighed and flopped back against the rough bedsheets – her hard gaze on the ceiling. Why had Ares been so against her coming here? He'd dismissed the idea so quickly, as if it was crazy to even consider it.

"Does Ares ever come to this city?" Sage asked Adonis. She rolled onto her side so that she could see his face.

"None of the gods come here. Technically Hades rules over it but it's more in name only. This city isn't for them. It's older than Hades or Hecate. This city belongs to monsters."

Sage considered this, biting her lip.

"Are you a monster?" She asked. Adonis cocked an eyebrow at her. "You're not a ghost. So does that mean you're a monster?"

"I'm an undead." He confirmed slowly.

"So, you're a zombie then."

Adonis pulled a face, clearly not pleased with that word. His bed was next to Sage's and he sat down on it and quickly unfastened the laces of his long boots. Sitting straighter, he stripped off his shirt and Sage coughed, her cheeks flushing. She hadn't meant to stare at him, but Adonis' body looked perfect – carved by angels perfect. Firm, but not too muscley – no popping veins or waggling pectorals. Instead, he was seamless like a snake – the perfection of the male body that was just right.

He caught Sage checking him out and Adonis grinned wolfishly.

"Perhaps I should have taken off my clothes earlier." He mused. "It might have saved me from having to ask for your kisses."

Sage rolled her eyes.

"I've lived with Eros for years. He can look handsome too, when he wants to be. But he can also look monstrous."

"You think this is an illusion?" He asked, gesturing to his hard expansive chest.

"Yes." She replied firmly. "Because you are a zombie."

She rolled quickly over to face the wall and tried very hard to fall asleep. She heard the mattress dip as Adonis lay down on his bed. Sage's stomach growled and her cheeks flushed. She hoped Adonis hadn't heard it. She scrunched her eyes shut and tried not to think about food. Or how angry Ares was going to be...

                  When Sage awoke, fully-rested, she was alone. She looked at Adonis' messy bed and wondered what she should do. Should she wait here for him to come back or go off in search of him? But whilst she was still deliberating, the room door creaked open and Adonis stepped inside.

"Morning." Sage said, smiling.

"Drink this." Adonis handed her a flask. "It's safe."

Sage unfastened the stopper and curiously studied the strange concoction. Her eyes widened in recognition.

"No, it's not – its nectar of the gods!"

The sparkling aura was unmistakable. Sage glanced around them, half expecting underworld soldiers to storm into the inn. Adonis shrugged.