Accidentally in Love With a God (2012) Read Free Page B

perturbed him greatly.
    He’d responded by telling Cimil she was a “head case”—an odd colloquialism he learned from her—which she was, but she also struck the fear of the gods into him; everyone knew that Cimil’s visions were never wrong.
    “Well,” he said aloud to himself, “one must face fate head on.”
    The cloudless sky rolled with thunder in response.
    “We’ll just see who gets the last laugh.” Votan placed one hand on his bare hip, tapping his fingers impatiently, his golden skin glistening with drops of water. He’d already wasted far too much time climbing out of the wet, slippery portal.
    Cenotes, as the Mayans once called them, were deep limestone pools. They were also the only portals to the human world. The active ones, hidden deep in the jungle or veiled inside stalactite covered caves, were directly connected to the River of Tlaloc—an underground current of energy flowing between the two worlds. Cenotes were an extremely inefficient way to travel, but they were the only choice.
    He looked back up at the sky, trying to gauge the time of day and how many hours of sunlight he had left. He sidled up to a tree trunk and flexed his hands. His new human-like body still felt a bit weak. Sometimes, it took hours for his strength to kick in after the journey, but he didn’t want to wait. No doubt, their enemies were hard at work causing mayhem. Most recently, they had found a way to shield themselves from being viewed by the gods from the comfort of their own realm. This undoubtedly meant the repugnant priests were up to their usual deadly shenanigans, like being behind a rash of missing and dead young women from the local villages.
    Votan wrapped his still weak hands around a thick branch, careful not to touch the ants scrambling down one side (bugs disturbed him, too many legs) and then pulled himself up. He climbed until able to peer above the trees. Like a giant, featherless bird, he perched on a branch, looking for any signs of the priests’ encampment—usually a large smoke plume—however, there was nothing beyond the massive span of hazy blue sky and the ocean of treetops.
    He shifted his weight to gaze in the opposite direction. Suddenly, the branch gave way. Tree limbs lashed at his flesh as he hurtled back toward the Earth.
     

Chapter FOUR
     
     
    Present Day. New York City.
     
    “ Passport, my sweet?”
    “Check.”
    “ Tickets, my sweet?”
    “Check. And stop calling me 'my sweet.'”
    “ Do you have a good map”— dramatic pause—“ my dearest?”
    I rolled my eyes. “I bought a guidebook online. It’s got—”
    There was a knock at my bedroom door. It was my mom. Sadly, I lived at home again after being moved out of my apartment while in a coma. No one thought I was coming back. Ever. And after hearing I was going to die, my roommates and best friends, Anne, Nick, and Jess, couldn’t stand to live there. Too depressing, they said. They’d moved out right away.
    “Be quiet,” I hissed at Guy. My mother couldn’t hear him. No one could, except me. But he had an uncanny knack for provoking a response, so I was constantly covering up my seemingly absurd comments.
    “ Make her go away. You still have to pack, and we must review the plan one last time.”
    “I’m not leaving until morning. There’s plenty of time,” I whispered.
    “ But you must be prepared properly, Emma. We’re not going on a picnic.”
    “Don’t you have a nap to take or something?”
    “ Only if you’re…” He lowered his voice, “coming.”
    The sexual innuendo wasn’t missed. My core fluttered with little waves of warmth. I shook my head, trying to get a grip. I couldn’t let him affect me like that anymore. I had to stay in control.
    “Right, big man. Like that’ll ever happen if you’re involved. I bet you’re some kind of cave dwelling, telepathic hobgoblin. I bet you’re so ugly, even your cooties close their eyes. I bet the only way you can get a woman is by clubbing