nothing was even recognizable. Any sign of the worship of the gods was ancient rubble. Her father’s temples, her temples, shrines to the other gods and goddess of her time were all…
“Gone. There’s nothing left,” she murmured quietly as she strolled around the Parthenon with Hunter, looking at ancient Greek artifacts with dismay. “I should have known, of course. I’ve watched television for years, seen the images in papers, books, magazines, and on the television. But it never seemed real.” She felt lost and insignificant. Her time had long passed, yet she was still here after all of her fellow gods and goddesses had vanished to the Elysian Fields. Even the revelations from the oracles that had always seemed so real to her were long dead; only their instructions from ages ago remained. The Fates’ revelations were only residual magic, the plan set up thousands of years ago. “Seeing the world as it is now is like watching and reading about a fictional universe. But everything really has changed. I really am alone.” Athena felt a profound emptiness as she thought about the ancient ruins she’d viewed around the world, the gods that had once been so powerful and revered now reduced to rubble and myth.
“You’re not alone,” Hunter growled, putting a steely arm around her waist. “Your Sentinels are still here, still fighting your battle. The world is like this because of you, Princess, because you cared enough to sacrifice yourself for the human world to survive and continue to progress.”
“Honestly, it wasn’t that big of a sacrifice,” Athena told Hunter as she turned to look at his face. “I was easily exiled, even by my father. I’m not sure how any of them will receive me.” From what she had heard, the Elysian Fields was a pretty big place, and she could probably stay away from her family and the gods who had seen her banished.
“Then stay here,” Hunter growled, wrapping both arms around her waist. “I thought you’d be happy there.”
Athena shrugged. “It’s hard to tell how happy I’ll be since I’ve never been there.”
I want to stay here with you. Every instinct was clamoring to beg Hunter to mate with her, keep her by his side. But she didn’t want him to agree out of pity or a sense of protectiveness from the mating instinct. “If we don’t bond as real mates, I won’t be able to stay. It’s part of the deal. I’m ready for something different. At least the gods will be familiar.” They may not be happy to see her, but even if they weren’t, it was better than being imprisoned alone.
Athena suddenly felt her form disintegrate, only to reappear in Hunter’s kitchen, a room she loved. Athena had taken a few minutes to redecorate this morning before they left, so the room had been completely remodeled with vivid colors and new appliances. She didn’t care if she didn’t need to use them. She liked the cheery room. Hunter hadn’t said a word about the change. He either didn’t care or he approved. Athena hadn’t had a chance to ask him.
“If you don’t think you’ll be happy there, then be my mate, Princess. Stay here with me,” Hunter commanded as he crowded her against the new refrigerator Athena had manifested that morning.
She tried not to look at his face, but her gaze was drawn to him. His expression was intense, his eyes burning amber as he waited for her answer. She searched his eyes, trying to figure out if he really wanted her to stay, or if his mating instinct was prodding him to convince her. Athena wanted to believe he wanted her forever, but she still had lingering doubt. It was an uncertainty she couldn’t ignore.
Raising a hand to his face, she cupped his whiskered jaw as she said in a voice that was barely more than a whisper, “You’re trying to protect me, Hunter.” She couldn’t decipher his thoughts. His sole focus was on convincing her to stay with him. The reason why wasn’t clear. “If we bond, it will be forever. I’ll
“Gone. There’s nothing left,” she murmured quietly as she strolled around the Parthenon with Hunter, looking at ancient Greek artifacts with dismay. “I should have known, of course. I’ve watched television for years, seen the images in papers, books, magazines, and on the television. But it never seemed real.” She felt lost and insignificant. Her time had long passed, yet she was still here after all of her fellow gods and goddesses had vanished to the Elysian Fields. Even the revelations from the oracles that had always seemed so real to her were long dead; only their instructions from ages ago remained. The Fates’ revelations were only residual magic, the plan set up thousands of years ago. “Seeing the world as it is now is like watching and reading about a fictional universe. But everything really has changed. I really am alone.” Athena felt a profound emptiness as she thought about the ancient ruins she’d viewed around the world, the gods that had once been so powerful and revered now reduced to rubble and myth.
“You’re not alone,” Hunter growled, putting a steely arm around her waist. “Your Sentinels are still here, still fighting your battle. The world is like this because of you, Princess, because you cared enough to sacrifice yourself for the human world to survive and continue to progress.”
“Honestly, it wasn’t that big of a sacrifice,” Athena told Hunter as she turned to look at his face. “I was easily exiled, even by my father. I’m not sure how any of them will receive me.” From what she had heard, the Elysian Fields was a pretty big place, and she could probably stay away from her family and the gods who had seen her banished.
“Then stay here,” Hunter growled, wrapping both arms around her waist. “I thought you’d be happy there.”
Athena shrugged. “It’s hard to tell how happy I’ll be since I’ve never been there.”
I want to stay here with you. Every instinct was clamoring to beg Hunter to mate with her, keep her by his side. But she didn’t want him to agree out of pity or a sense of protectiveness from the mating instinct. “If we don’t bond as real mates, I won’t be able to stay. It’s part of the deal. I’m ready for something different. At least the gods will be familiar.” They may not be happy to see her, but even if they weren’t, it was better than being imprisoned alone.
Athena suddenly felt her form disintegrate, only to reappear in Hunter’s kitchen, a room she loved. Athena had taken a few minutes to redecorate this morning before they left, so the room had been completely remodeled with vivid colors and new appliances. She didn’t care if she didn’t need to use them. She liked the cheery room. Hunter hadn’t said a word about the change. He either didn’t care or he approved. Athena hadn’t had a chance to ask him.
“If you don’t think you’ll be happy there, then be my mate, Princess. Stay here with me,” Hunter commanded as he crowded her against the new refrigerator Athena had manifested that morning.
She tried not to look at his face, but her gaze was drawn to him. His expression was intense, his eyes burning amber as he waited for her answer. She searched his eyes, trying to figure out if he really wanted her to stay, or if his mating instinct was prodding him to convince her. Athena wanted to believe he wanted her forever, but she still had lingering doubt. It was an uncertainty she couldn’t ignore.
Raising a hand to his face, she cupped his whiskered jaw as she said in a voice that was barely more than a whisper, “You’re trying to protect me, Hunter.” She couldn’t decipher his thoughts. His sole focus was on convincing her to stay with him. The reason why wasn’t clear. “If we bond, it will be forever. I’ll
Similar Books
