Immortally Embraced

chapter seventeen




I stared.

It was Marc. In the flesh. A walking, talking Marc. At least I thought he was saying something. His lips were moving. But it wasn’t registering. I thought I’d killed him.

Deep down, I’d known. I’d been ready for the fact that I’d shot him to death.

My pulse beat wildly against my throat. I wanted to run up and hug him, kiss him, tell him I was so relieved to see him. But he was the enemy. It would be dangerous to admit I knew him.

I exhaled as the tight fist around my heart loosened. It was enough to know he was whole and alive … and standing next to some strange woman.

She had to be a goddess.

She was supermodel-gorgeous with long brunette hair that belonged in a Pantene commercial. Her floor-length, filmy gown was made of dew or spiderwebs or something equally see-through. The thing clung to her to the point where you could see the dusky tips of her breasts. She preened, fully expecting Marc’s undivided attention. She got it.

I couldn’t have been more shocked if she’d leaned over and kissed him. Which would get me instantly smited because I’d have to at least try to kick her ass.

Get a grip.

My mouth slacked open. I had to do something, say something.

“Oh my f*cking god.”

General Argus bristled. “What did you say, Captain?”

Kosta waved him off. “Mortals use it as a term of endearment,” he said, glaring at me. “Dr. Robichaud, you have the great honor of meeting Nerthus of the sacred grove. She’s a four-star general in the old god army.”

Sure. I could tell by the uniform. “It’s an honor to meet you,” I said, going for a bow rather than a salute.

She licked her lips. “This is my special associate,” she said, leaving off his name.

This was going to be interesting.

Marc looked amazing, as usual—lean and powerful in old army tan. The cocky goddess might be enjoying the view, but she had no idea how close I’d come to memorizing every hard-muscled, drop-dead-sexy inch of him. She hadn’t seen that sexy curve of muscle at his hip, or tasted the salt at the hollow of his neck. She hadn’t stroked him until he shook or heard the guttural groans he made when he came.

She drew a polished fingernail down Marc’s arm. I expected him to step away, but he stood there and took it, almost acted like he enjoyed it. What the hell?

It sliced me to the core to be this close, yet have to act like I didn’t even know him. Then watch her touch him on top of it.

I had no idea what was going on with her—or why he wasn’t breaking her immortal arm. Sure, I’d shot him, but he was the one who’d thrown himself so willingly at death. He’d stood in front of that gun, knowing it was coming. Now after he’d just put me through hell thinking he was dead—again—he had the gall to flirt with another woman in front of me?

Unbelievable. I crossed my arms over my chest. If this was his way of getting back at me because he’d found out I’d dated when he hadn’t, he could bite me.

Nerthus turned sour when she looked at me. “This is your lab?”

“Yes.” It was a dump, but it was the best I could do on my own.

Nose wrinkled, she strode down the aisle between my cafeteria-style lab table and the desk.

Meanwhile Argus started pawing through the research notes on my desk. I stifled the urge to snatch them back. It’s not like he knew what he was looking at. Worse, he was getting them all out of order.

Nerthus peered at my ethanol test like it was a dead rat. Holy hell. It was about to boil over. Hands shaking, I hurried over to my workstation and flipped the burner off.

Marc donned my thick rubberized gloves and moved my caustic sample over to my cooling rack like he owned the place. “It’s a little overcooked,” he said, my safety glasses over his eyes as he double-checked the sample. “But it’s stable.”

Fan-fricking-tastic. Another lab spared.

His crisp, uniformed sleeve brushed mine.

I stiffened. His touch rocked me to the core. He didn’t even seem to notice.

“What’s this?” the goddess asked as she touched the cool white pad stretched out underneath my sample rack.

“Icy Hot patch,” I answered quickly. “It was the only thing I could find.” Unless you counted the two-ice-cube allotment I was given at the mess tent.

She inspected the bread ties holding it in place. “How can you expect to do real research in this … hovel?”

Marc moved to stand next to her. “It’s a disgrace, my lady.”

Of all the— I didn’t mind Miss Gauzy trash-talking my place, but Marc?

At least my lab wasn’t haunted.

I held my temper in check. “I’ve been doing this on my own. My funding application was denied.”

“That’s not true,” General Argus bristled. “I approved it myself.”

That sneaky, lying …

I shot Kosta a look.

He ignored me.

Fine. It took everything I had to keep my face pleasantly blank. “I appreciate your foresight, General Argus. Funding this project would serve both armies,” I reminded them. “I’ve already established that sphinx venom is safe to use on immortals. If I can determine a delivery vehicle to administer the proper dosage, we can begin volunteer testing.” It’s not like this was going to kill anybody. “I have a report—”

“I saw it,” she said, flicking her gaze up the lanterns overhead like they were hairy, fang-toothed bats. “That’s why we’re here.” She leveled a look at me designed to make me feel both inferior and grateful. “You’ve been chosen to take part in a peace initiative between our side and yours. Our sides will work on the anesthetic together. I have already been in contact with old army acquisitions.” She sneered at Argus, as if she knew he was full of it. “They will provide you with everything you need.”

Wow. Okay. In that case, “I’d really prefer direct funding.” I could order things myself through Shirley.

The goddess turned a scathing look on me.

Argus dropped my notes all over the floor. “Do not curse her,” he ordered, his beady eyes on the goddess. “We need both the mortals to work.”

My stomach curled.

Kosta approached Nerthus, placing himself in between me and the goddess. “She knows your will is divine.” He glanced back at me. “And that the report lists her needs.”

I didn’t dare speak.

A curse from a goddess could mean anything from blindness to being turned into a pigeon for all eternity.

Wisps of smoke curled from Nerthus’s ears.

Marc leaned close to her. “One tragedy is enough, my lady.”

She puzzled at that. “One?”

He drew a hand down her arm. “The greatest tragedy is that I will miss you.”

She softened. I couldn’t believe Marc had actually spouted that inane horse puckey. Or that she bought it.

I bristled. In the old army, the women had to play slave to the men. But what about the goddesses? Did they have the right to demand services of the mortal men?

She looked ready to take him into my back room and christen the lab.

A new thought curdled in my stomach. What kind of a price had Marc paid to come back to me?

I cringed inside as she ran her fingers through the hair above his ear. “I’m sorry to leave you in a place like this.”

He inclined his head toward her. “If it’s what you wish me to do, I’ll manage.”

Oh, barf.

She turned her attention to me. “You will greet your new partner.”

Nice of her to get around to the rest of the introductions.

“This is Captain Belanger,” she continued.

Yes, I knew Captain Belanger. Better than she did, I hoped.

“Good to meet you, Captain.” I kept my voice even.

He was so close, I could have touched him, run my fingers over his broad shoulders, kissed him.

Nerthus eased a gleaming lock of hair over her shoulder. “General Argus will be your contact on the ground,” she said to both of us. It seemed she had better things to do.

Argus studied Marc, then me, with the appraising kind of look a gambler would give a racehorse at the track.

I kept my chin high and my eyes forward.

“We expect results,” he said.

Impossible ones.

Argus folded his hands behind his back, making a show of it. “You’ll send me a daily report.”

That he wouldn’t understand.

His eyes narrowed, as if he could read my thoughts. “You will make this joint venture a success.”

The or else was implied.

I kept my back straight and my voice even. “I’ll begin updating Captain Belanger immediately.”

It was the only thing I could do. Marc and I stood facing each other. The air was heavy, soaked with everything we couldn’t say, would never admit. We drank each other in, waiting until we were sure we were alone. Free.

No, we’d never be free. It was a mistake to even think it.

Marc cocked his head, watching me. “I’ll make a thorough study.”

“You’ll try,” I mocked. This time, he was keeping his pants on.

The goddess paused, as if she could sense the energy between us. “I want you to work well together.” She gave Marc one last glance before following Kosta to the door.

“Understood,” I said as the door slammed closed behind him.

She had no idea.