Eros

Chapter 9: Betrayed

Zeus' eyes flew open and he backed away. "Okay. You like big chicks. Fine." He laughed and kicked himself back on the bed. "Whatever floats your boat, man."

"Mortals use such strange words." Eros pursed his lips, struggling to control the ache at his temples.

"Yeah, well, join the club." Zeus snorted as he whipped the paper book back to his eyes.

Eros whirled around and marched through the door.

"Hey, close the door!"

But he did not stop. He moved fast down the hallway. Persephone looked very much like Angie, but she had hair that draped to her feet. It was always braided with blossoms and sunshine. What was wrong with that?

Eros remembered the girls in the courtyard. Every time he was with Angie, others scorned them. What was wrong with these mortals? Was it like this at home, in Greece? Were people always so full of intolerance?

He rummaged through his mind as he made his way down to Angie. Perhaps mortals could be just as the gods were. The gods were jealous, spiteful, even vengeful—but they did not look upon the size of others. Beauty had always mattered to his kind. It was magnified, never dismissed, and Angie had beauty.

With one last huff, he slammed down the stairs and found Angie staring out of the window, her shoulders hunched.

"You don't have to go with me anywhere if you don't want to, Eros. I totally understand."

"Why does your voice sound like grinding stone?" Eros moved closer to her and lifted his hand to touch her shoulder, but Angie moved away.

"It's okay, really. You don't have to be with me at all—you don't owe me anything for helping to the United States. Really." She sniffled. Her back still faced him.

"You are weeping?" Eros hands fell to his side. Was he responsible for her tears? In the days when mortals worshipped him, he made game of their emotions. He would break their hearts and experiment by putting together unlikely pairs. It always worked. His power was strong. Now? He was impotent.

He glanced down at her hand and found the roses wilting. He stiffened at the revelation. Was Chloris angry with him, too? "We need to put these in life-giving water, Angie, before they die."

Angie finally turned around.

Eros titled his head at what he saw. Black streaks lined her cheeks from her eyes, her lips were a smudged pink. He lifted his fingers to touch her face. She was hurt!

She grew rigid and took a step back. "No," she said with a shake of her head. "Don't. I don't want you anywhere near me, Eros." She swallowed hard. "I don't want you to feel sorry for me. That hurts more.

Eros knitted his brows, unsure of his emotions as well as how to handle this. Why was happy Angie behaving this way? It was so unlike her.

"Oooh, Eros." A girl walked in through the doors, her tongue dragging out the s.

He turned to her and smiled as she tossed her long hair over her shoulder. Zeus' girl that was just a friend. Was she on her way to seeing his roommate? Perhaps it would put the man in better spirits.

"Nice seeing you here. I was just on my way up to your dorm. Looks like I don't have to make the climb after all." She stopped with a finger to her lips, her smile spreading. Her glittering eyes scanned his body. "Well, not that kind of climb though!"

Eros felt his body respond to her attraction. He had not really paid too much attention to the beauty of others aside from Angie, but he was now suddenly drawn to it, being so mortal . . .