Forsaken Deity

Chapter 6

Thea was happy to be home as Hermes landed in her living room. After spending God knows how long with Apollo, she was beginning to feel like a piece of meat. That God had to be one of the sleaziest men she'd ever met. She shuddered to think what Zeus was like. Hermes had told her that Apollo was tame compared to him.

Sighing, she stretched out a kink in her neck. Her mind was reeling from information overload and she just wanted to lie down. It was hard to believe that she'd just said goodbye to Shae this morning. Everything felt so surreal. The God making himself comfortable on her couch  reminded her this was reality, though.

"What are you doing?"

Hermes reached over and grabbed the TV remote from the coffee table."Getting comfortable. I snooped around last time I was here and there's only one bed. Unless you want to share?"

His eyebrows rose suggestively and Thea rolled her eyes. "Dream on. I thought you hated me, anyway?"

"I do, but I can still utilise that hate for a more passionate release."

Thea flushed and his smile grew.

"Just stick to hating me," she muttered. "Don't you have your own home to go to?"

"Yes, but for now my home is this couch. Until you can control air, I'll be slumming it here, and then we'll move on."

She snorted. "I'm sorry you have to slum it here with us mere mortals. I didn't realise we would be starting as soon as we got back."

Hermes leaned back on the couch and put his feet on her coffee table. "Have I not mentioned numerous times that time is of the essence?"

Thea walked over and kicked his feet off her coffee table, making him frown. "You have, but you're not staying here. If you have to teach me, that's fine - we'll both suffer together - but I refuse to let you sleep on my couch - or in my bed!" she added as Hermes opened his mouth.

He snapped it shut, watching her calmly. "Sorry, Peaches, but I'm not letting you out of my sight. There are Titans wandering this realm who would love to kill you and trust me when I say this, they won't be quick about it."

Thea's resolve weakened. She hated that he made sense. She was about to reply when her phone rang. The number was unknown but she answered. "Hello?"

"Thea? Thank God! Are you all right? Where are you?"

Her heart quickened as she recognised the voice. "I'm fine, Josh. I'm at my apartment."

Hermes’ eyes narrowed at the mention of Josh and Thea turned her back to him.

"What happened to you yesterday?" Josh demanded. "You disappeared with the guy that no one knows, and I've been calling you all night."

Thea quickly moved her phone away from her ear to check the time. It was eight o'clock in the morning, the day after the funeral. She spun back to face Hermes.

"W-why is it tomorrow, today?" she stuttered. "We weren't gone that long!"

"Time varies a little with the passing between realms." Hermes shrugged his shoulders.

It irked her that he had known that and hadn't bothered to tell her.

"- ello? Thea, are you still there?"

She quickly moved her phone back to her ear. "Sorry, I'm still here. That guy is an old friend from out of town," she lied. "He came to look after me because I wasn't coping well and I turned my phone off. I guess I didn't think anyone would notice."

"Of course I would notice, Thea." His voice grew soft. "I care about you."

It felt like someone had told her she'd won the lottery. Silently, she jumped up and down, trying to suppress her glee. Hermes watched her with amusement, eyebrows raised.