My Date From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy, #2)

For all the stars in the sky (Part 3)

I stepped forward, trusting he'd pull back the shield in time to let me through and not turn me to ash memories.

He did but from his growl, I knew it wasn't happily.

The bronze man turned his attention to me but before he could charge, there was a sharp whistle.

The automaton startled and swiveled his head to Festos, now standing.

"Honey," he said, "if you're going to play with fire, do it right." With that, he gave an almost careless wave and sent out a torrent of flame like I'd never seen before.

"God of Volcano and Fire, indeed," I said as Festos concentrated his efforts on the nail in the automaton's forehead.

"If you can't pull it out, melt it away," he said cheerfully. "Same same."

With a sudden sploosh, the automaton puddled into molten bronze on the ground. We scrambled out of the way, climbing the courtyard furniture so we wouldn't get burned.

"That was pretty cool," Kai admitted a few moments later from where he and I stood atop a table.

"I have certain talents," Festos said. He stepped to the ground. "Stay out of the puddles." He prodded one with his cane.

I was about to jump off the table when I was hauled back against Kai. "Pull a stunt like that again and you'll be sorry," he said in my ear, his hands on my hips.

I squirmed slightly at Mr. Sexy Threat's voice. "Promises, promises," I tossed back as I got down.

We stepped into Maia's house.

The first thing that hit me when I walked in was the smell of almond, butter, and cookie heaven. It made me think of standing on a chair in the kitchen, helping to stir batter and being rewarded with licking the spatula. The kind of memory I'd never had and always had envied in others. Felicia hadn't even believed in buying cookies never mind making them.

"Everyone take a room and look for any clues to Jack's whereabouts," I started through the dimly lit hallway. Every square foot was tiled in terra cotta and my boots made soft slapping noises as I padded along the floor.

"Doubt you'll find anything there," I told Festos, who opened cupboards in the kitchen.

"Uh, yeah. The cookies," he replied.

Just as I joined Festos in his pantry raid, the back door off the kitchen creaked open and an older woman, wavy auburn hair to her shoulders, with kind eyes and crow's feet stepped inside.

I froze, my heart caught in my throat. I'd seen her image before. The night that Kai had first kissed me. My heart raced.

"Demeter?" It came out as a squeak.

"Yes?" Frowning in a kind of puzzled way, she turned to me. She took a step forward, one hand outstretched. "Persephone?" she asked tentatively.

OMG. It was my mother.

My. Mother.

"I'm Sophie," I said, so stunned I was amazed I could form coherent words.

Her expression softened and in Greek accented English she cried, "My daughter." She enveloped me in a giant hug.

I hadn't realized I'd been waiting for that hug my entire life. My face was tight against her chest. Now that I'd found my true mother, I wasn't letting her go. My heart grew two sizes bigger with joy. She smelled like lemon and home.

My arms tightened around her.

I wanted so desperately to call her "Mom," but I didn't have the nerve yet. Wasn't sure how to work it casually into conversation.

She gently pulled out of my embrace, my hands still firmly clasped in hers. Her smile seemed made from sunshine but her eyes were damp. Pretty much how I must have looked.

"Let me see you," she said.

My throat was a giant lump of emotion. My body pulsed with nerves and delight. I was terrified I wouldn't measure up.

Demeter stroked a hand over my hair. "I can see the differences between you. She's there but you are, too. My beautiful girl." She gazed at me fondly.

I beamed, trying not to burst in glee.

"You wouldn't happen to know where Jack is, do you?" Theo asked.

I hadn't realized the others had entered the room, but that definitely was not the reaction he should have had to Demeter's presence.

I glared at him. Couldn't he see I was experiencing the most amazing moment of my life here? My glare got wider as I saw that with the exception of Hannah, who was smiling, all the guys looked really unhappy.

How could they be so selfish? It really hurt. Screw them. I turned my attention back to my mom.

Demeter shook her head. "Maia should be back soon. Maybe she'll know."

"Sorry for uh, being inside like this," I said, not wanting her to think I burgled on a regular basis.

"I think we can safely place the blame on these three characters," she said, motioning to the boys. "But who do we have here?"

I happily introduced her to Hannah.

Demeter greeted her politely then smiled at me like she couldn't believe I was here. "So? Tell me about yourself, darling."

That was all the invitation I needed. I couldn't stop talking. I wanted to tell her all about my life.

And she seemed to want to hear it.

We ended up in a living room stuffed with knickknacks and ugly floral seating complete with plastic slipcovers. I sat on a spongy sofa between Hannah and Kai, even happy about the cloying scent of lavender in the room. Festos and Theo were squashed into one of those chair-and-a-halfs.

Demeter laid out lovely pink and black hand-crafted mugs, milk and sugar. Also a plate of heaping round almond shortbread cookies dusted in powdered sugar. "The tea is steeping," she said. "Meantime, try Maia's cookies."

I bit into one of them. Sweet Mama. Buttery, crumbly joy.

"Breathe, wolf," Kai murmured.

"They're so good," I moaned.

Hannah scooted away slightly from me, like she was embarrassed to be in my presence.

I blushed under my mother's stare. She nodded, "Good to appreciate. But you need to slow down. It's better for the digestion."

Motherly advice? Yay! The most I'd ever gotten from Felicia was to use sunscreen or I'd look like a toad.

"Hope you like Oolong." Demeter headed back to the kitchen.

"Great," I called out, swinging my feet like a little kid. I glanced at my friends. Hannah smiled at me, but the boys were tense. "What is wrong with you?" I hissed.

"Honeybunch," Festos began in a gentle tone. He stopped and looked helplessly at Kai. "I can't do it. You're the jerk. You tell her."

"Sophie, sweetheart," Kai said, turning me so I faced him and taking my hands in his. "Don't you think it's a little convenient that after being missing all these years, Demeter happens to be here?"

"No," I insisted.

"It's just, we know Jack plays games."

My body flashed cold and my heart pounded in my ears at what Kai was implying. "Takes a trickster to know one," I snapped defensively.