Destiny Bewitched by Leia Shaw

stopped when she
turned around and pulled off the shirt he’d lent her.
    She sighed. “Really?
It’s just my back. Damn, you really are going through a dry
spell.”
    He grabbed her elbow
and spun her around.
    “Hey!” She covered her
breasts with her arms. “What are you doing?”
    His forehead creased as
he studied her stomach. “What in Zeus’ name is this?” His eyes
narrowed as he ran his fingers over the purple and blue bruises
spanning her ribs.
    She flushed and tried
to pull away but he held firm.
    “From falling in the
tunnel?” He moved closer. “No. These are old.” His forefinger
grazed the deepest one. “The shape of a boot.” His expression
darkened when he looked at her. “Who did this?” he demanded through
gritted teeth.
    With a sharp tug, she
pulled from his grasp and slipped her shirt on, covering the
bruises. “None of your business.” She was vaguely aware of Erebus
standing beside them, watching Geo carefully with those glowing
eyes.
    He squared his
shoulders. “You will tell me.”
    Her mouth opened of its
own power. She jammed it shut. Bastard was trying to coerce her.
“My br –” No! She slapped a hand over her mouth.
    He blinked when she’d
shaken off his persuasion.
    With her best evil
glare she placed a hand on her hip. “Now you listen to me! I’m done
with the mind fucks. You can’t use your power on me anytime you
choose. It’s not fair and I refuse to lose my free will around you.
If that’s the way you’re going to be, I’ll find my own way to the
Games.”
    “Samantha –”
    “I mean it.” It was
time to lay down some rules. As if encouraging her, Erebus licked
her fingers.
    “Alright,” he said more
evenly, the anger fading from his eyes. “I won’t use it except in
dire emergency. But that’s as far as I’ll bend on this, dove.
Deal?”
    She made a show of
looking him over before she answered, “Deal.”
    He raised his brows.
“Now, will you tell me what happened?”
    “No.”
    “Stubborn.”
    “Nosy.”
    He laughed and she bit
back a smile.
    After a quick breakfast
of some plain-tasting nuts and water, they made their way through
the tunnel once more. She lost track of time. Everything looked the
same – dark and oppressing. Erebus travelled with them for a spell.
He seemed pleased to bring her various “gifts” he’d either found
or, she suspected, killed. A dead rat, an old bone, the head of a
lizard-like creature.
    She’d held back her gag
reflex each time and managed a small thank you. Geo had chuckled
quietly.
    “He likes you,” he’d
said.
    The demon dog of the
Underworld had a crush. Goody for her.
    Around midday, Geo
pulled out strips of dried meat somewhat resembling beef jerky. It
reminded her of home, and not in a good way. Her brothers fighting
over the last bit of food flashed in her mind. No one had ever
cared if she went hungry.
    Geo also gave her a
sweet, juicy fruit she savored. If beef jerky was dysfunctional
family dinners, fresh fruit was warm summers on her grandmother’s
orchard. Her parents had shipped her there in the summer when she
was young. She still remembered the scent of baked apples. She’d
spent hours picking blackberries off the bushes, eating more than
she collected. Her lips curled in a smile. Her grandma on her
mother’s side might have been human, but to a five-year-old the
plentiful hugs against her plump body and the goodies constantly
baking in the kitchen were all the magic she could ever want.
    Geo watched her finish
the fruit then lick the juice off each finger. He looked down at
his piece then handed it to her. “Here. You can have it.” When she
tried to refuse he said, “It’s not my favorite anyway. I prefer the
meat.”
    She had a feeling he
was lying. Even though it was just a silly piece of fruit, her
heart melted.
    They travelled mostly
in silence – stopping here or there for a drink. Sometimes they
chatted about the scenery, but there was only so much to say about
the endless