relax: I was hoping that the combination of herbs would stir up some visions to help me strategize. I didn’t have any delusions about Hecate, despite the fact that she hadn’t moved against me again until tonight. I was sure that if she could arrange it, I wouldn’t live very long.
Suddenly nervous, I sat up, sloshing water onto the floor. I realized that I hadn’t cast any kind of ward on the hotel room. I’d been in such a rush to soak in the tub that I’d ignored my safety. Stupid move, Lena. Grabbing a white towel off the floor, I hurried to stand up. Water cascaded down my legs as I climbed out of the tub. Quickly, I muttered the words of protection that would create a temporary ward around the room. Holding out my left hand, I started to walk around the suite, moving clockwise.
I was almost to the door when the knob began to rattle. I froze for a moment, and then hurried to seal the circle. The handle of the door went still. A second latter, a loud knock sounded and I jumped, clutching my towel with both hands.
“Room service,” a muffled voice called from the hall.
Cautiously, I crossed to the door and tried to look out the peephole, but the distorted image in front of me was just the top of someone’s dark head. I couldn’t see anything else.
“I didn’t order anything,” I called, trying to sound confident.
“Complimentary for our special guest.” The woman looked up then and I saw the flash of her red eyes.
I swallowed. Why wasn’t she just blasting the door down? Pele had popped into my bedroom uninvited before, and I was sure she could do it again. My skin crawled as I looked at her.
“Swear a truce.” The words left my mouth before I had time to question them. I saw her sneer through the door.
“Why would I do that?”
“You could have just come in here. But you wanted me to know who you were. Well, lady, I’m not opening the door until you swear you won’t harm me.”
She laughed roughly. “Surely you know your time grows shorter with each breath.”
“Swear it.”
Her eyes seemed to bore into mine through the door. “Very well. I swear by my great mountain that I will not harm you tonight.”
I paused, trying to see if there was any loophole in her words. Finally, I shrugged. “Okay.”
I opened the door and the Mistress of Volcanoes swept into the room.
I faced her, holding my towel tight. “Well? What are you doing here?”
She laughed, her fiery eyes sparking. “You are the one who entered my realm.”
“What are you talking about? You’re a Polynesian goddess.”
“Any land that has one of my fire mountains belongs to me.”
For a minute, her words didn’t make any sense, but then I remembered the recent volcanic eruptions in Iceland. That had been one of the news items Justin forwarded to me while I was comatose.
Pele smiled as she saw the realization dawn on me. “Yes. You are in my domain now, Darlena.”
I gulped when she said my name. She sounded … hungry. “What do you want?”
She bared her teeth. “A bargain.”
“What?”
“You are without a goddess again, are you not?”
I nodded, wondering how she knew.
“It has been long since I had a Red to represent me. If you would swear to me—”
“Why in the world would I do that?” I exploded. “You told me yourself you demand sacrifices, and that’s not what I want to do with my power.”
Pele glared at me. “Foolish girl. Do not cross me. With me as your patron, you would grow more powerful. And none could harm you.”
“I’ll take my chances.” I clutched my towel tighter, and the goddess smiled.
“I will not make this offer again.”
“That’s fine. I won’t swear to you.”
Her eyes blazed. “Fine. But remember this. You are in my land now. Watch where you walk.”
She turned on her heel and left, slamming the hotel door behind her. I let out my breath in a rush and locked the deadbolt.
I glanced into the bathroom, but lounging in a tub seemed like the last thing
Suddenly nervous, I sat up, sloshing water onto the floor. I realized that I hadn’t cast any kind of ward on the hotel room. I’d been in such a rush to soak in the tub that I’d ignored my safety. Stupid move, Lena. Grabbing a white towel off the floor, I hurried to stand up. Water cascaded down my legs as I climbed out of the tub. Quickly, I muttered the words of protection that would create a temporary ward around the room. Holding out my left hand, I started to walk around the suite, moving clockwise.
I was almost to the door when the knob began to rattle. I froze for a moment, and then hurried to seal the circle. The handle of the door went still. A second latter, a loud knock sounded and I jumped, clutching my towel with both hands.
“Room service,” a muffled voice called from the hall.
Cautiously, I crossed to the door and tried to look out the peephole, but the distorted image in front of me was just the top of someone’s dark head. I couldn’t see anything else.
“I didn’t order anything,” I called, trying to sound confident.
“Complimentary for our special guest.” The woman looked up then and I saw the flash of her red eyes.
I swallowed. Why wasn’t she just blasting the door down? Pele had popped into my bedroom uninvited before, and I was sure she could do it again. My skin crawled as I looked at her.
“Swear a truce.” The words left my mouth before I had time to question them. I saw her sneer through the door.
“Why would I do that?”
“You could have just come in here. But you wanted me to know who you were. Well, lady, I’m not opening the door until you swear you won’t harm me.”
She laughed roughly. “Surely you know your time grows shorter with each breath.”
“Swear it.”
Her eyes seemed to bore into mine through the door. “Very well. I swear by my great mountain that I will not harm you tonight.”
I paused, trying to see if there was any loophole in her words. Finally, I shrugged. “Okay.”
I opened the door and the Mistress of Volcanoes swept into the room.
I faced her, holding my towel tight. “Well? What are you doing here?”
She laughed, her fiery eyes sparking. “You are the one who entered my realm.”
“What are you talking about? You’re a Polynesian goddess.”
“Any land that has one of my fire mountains belongs to me.”
For a minute, her words didn’t make any sense, but then I remembered the recent volcanic eruptions in Iceland. That had been one of the news items Justin forwarded to me while I was comatose.
Pele smiled as she saw the realization dawn on me. “Yes. You are in my domain now, Darlena.”
I gulped when she said my name. She sounded … hungry. “What do you want?”
She bared her teeth. “A bargain.”
“What?”
“You are without a goddess again, are you not?”
I nodded, wondering how she knew.
“It has been long since I had a Red to represent me. If you would swear to me—”
“Why in the world would I do that?” I exploded. “You told me yourself you demand sacrifices, and that’s not what I want to do with my power.”
Pele glared at me. “Foolish girl. Do not cross me. With me as your patron, you would grow more powerful. And none could harm you.”
“I’ll take my chances.” I clutched my towel tighter, and the goddess smiled.
“I will not make this offer again.”
“That’s fine. I won’t swear to you.”
Her eyes blazed. “Fine. But remember this. You are in my land now. Watch where you walk.”
She turned on her heel and left, slamming the hotel door behind her. I let out my breath in a rush and locked the deadbolt.
I glanced into the bathroom, but lounging in a tub seemed like the last thing
Similar Books
Alien Courage (Rise of the Empress)
Keith Chessell
A Place of My Own
Michael Pollan
Pain of Death
Adam Creed
Knockdown: A Home Repair Is Homicide Mystery
Sarah Graves
Akira Tong for Christmas
Azure Boone
A Secret Gift
Ted Gup
Thicker than Blood
Madeline Sheehan
Vampires 3
J. R. Rain
Snowing in Bali
Kathryn Bonella