“At least let us see the map, Thena.” Adonis crossed his arms over his broad chest. “We need to know what we’re up against.”
“Bring warm clothes.” I smiled cheekily and waited to gauge Seth’s reaction. Nonplussed, he merely shrugged and walked off to his room, muttering about insipid females and their inability to trust men with directions. Maybe he was harmless after all.
“So…” I gulped and folded the map into my back pocket. “Adonis, earlier when we were, er…” Yes. Brilliant, Athena. You’d think a girl gifted with wisdom would know how to talk to a man.
But Adonis was a god among men, chiseled and perfect. All cockiness aside, he was absolutely breathtaking. I wanted to hate him, but the only negative feelings I could muster up were that of guilt for his apparent worry over my disappearance.
Abruptly, he reached out and pulled me into his body. Without words, he leaned down and brushed a light kiss across my forehead. “If you ever leave me again, I will hunt you down and kill you myself, do you understand?”
I squirmed in his hold, trying to get more comfortable in his giant arms. “When did you become so violent?”
I felt him sigh. “I’ve always been violent, always protective. I’m just very controlled.” Something white flashed in his eyes, before they went back to normal.
I laughed and regretted it as he stiffened. I looked up to meet his gaze and realized he was anything but amused at my apparent mockery of his control. When had Adonis ever showed control in anything, especially considering his enticement of others?
“You really don’t know?” His eyes seemed sad.
I bit my lip and struggled for an awkward laugh. “Know that you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me? Know that you’re ticked off at my disappearance?” I patted him on the chest “Yup, I know. So stop worrying.”
He rolled his eyes and released me, muttering another uncharacteristic curse under his breath.
“So what are we all waiting for?” Seth plopped three duffel bags onto the nearby couch, jolting Adonis out of whatever freakishly foul disposition he was in.
“Right then.” Adonis grabbed all three bags and made a beeline for the door. “Coming, Thena, or are you still traumatized from your little adventure?” He smirked devilishly and lifted a quizzical brow.
Ridiculously good-looking men should not exist. El should have snuffed them out long ago.
“Fine.” Teeth clenched, I grabbed the white leather jacket that Seth held up, looking bored out of his mind. All I wanted was a bit of normalcy from these two, and what I got was two anger and hormone-ridden half-breeds.
“Ah, adventure,” Seth boasted, clapping his hands as he followed Adonis and me into the hallway.
Chapter Twelve
I pushed past the guys, stuck in my thoughts. I didn’t want to walk with Adonis, considering his recent cursing and cryptic talk, and there was no way I was going to walk with Seth. Ever since my return from the sky, as I was going to refer to it, Seth had been acting strange. One minute he wanted to know all about my little talk with Atlas; the next he was brooding and temperamental.
Case in point, as we walked down the obnoxiously long hallway to the outside entrance of his apartment building, he couldn’t stop scowling at me or asking me pestering questions about the map.
It was enough send me over the edge that Adonis had so pleasantly brought me to after our conversation. Naturally, I snapped at Seth to leave me alone. Adonis gave him a manly shrug as if to say, Yes, she is moody at least eighty percent of the time. Deal with it.
So then I led the way with both men behind me, which technically was where they belonged, considering I had the map, and they had nothing but duffel bags and bad attitudes.
I hated to admit that in my current state, it was probably safer for everyone if the handsome men of my misfortune let me walk ahead. I zeroed in on the hard metal door a few feet away and finally unclenched my fists.
“That’s it,” Seth said from behind me.
Idiot. Of course, that’s it. There is no other door. I rolled my eyes and was thankful that he couldn’t see the scowl on my face. With a grunt, I kicked it open, nearly sending the six-inch-thick piece of metal off its hinges.
“Was that really necessary, Thena?” Adonis murmured by my shoulder. The crisp, sweet scent of him washed over my senses for the third time that night.
“Yes,” I said through clenched teeth. “It was necessary.”
I stepped into the old tunnel and shook my head. The thought that we were actually near the underground bus station of Seattle never once crossed my mind. Nordstrom’s stood to my upper left and Westlake Center was behind me. Really, I had to commend Seth for his genius. Not only was his apartment at the perfect location, but it had access to every underground route in the city, not to mention bus access to the airport.
“This way,” I said, walking toward the blue line.