My Date From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy, #2)

The Goddess of Love is in the house (Part 4)

Aphrodite scooped up a saclike pink purse laying on the ground. She rooted around in it. "Desire is part of romantic love, silly," she said to me.

She pulled out a handful of bullets and dumped them in Festos' hurriedly outstretched hands before turning back to Kai. She gestured with the still-open chambered revolver toward him. "Your body knows what's what. Stop fighting it."

Kai glowered at her.

She laughed it off, reloading. "And you," Aphrodite said to me, as she plucked more bullets from Festos' hand to load into the chamber. "Yer just as bad with your own issues."

She couldn't know about my insecurities around Persephone could she?

Aphrodite narrowed her eyes at me.

I gulped.

Aphrodite shot me a look of disgust and popped the final bullets into the chambers. She gestured at each of us in turn with one pink, sparkly manicured finger. "I'm gonna start gettin' real mad about how youse is all dealin' with love."

"There's a whole bunch of drags around here where love is concerned," Festos agreed.

"Thanks so much for inviting him along," Theo said to me.

I grimaced an apology at Theo, then shot back at Festos, "Seems there's a whole bunch of dogs here, too." I looked between him and Kai.

"Oh don't forget Pierce," Festos replied cheerfully. "He's a total mimbo."

"He is not," Hannah defended. "He's pure love."

Aphrodite threw her a fond smile. "I like you, girlie."

"Love in name, hormones in game," Theo countered.

"Look at us all in agreement," Festos replied.

"No, because you're talking about lust," I protested.

"Lust is pretty good too," Aphrodite said, "but it ain't nothin' like the real thing." She clicked the cylinder into place and looked at me. "We got a deal? You'll get Jack to kill the campaign?"

"You'll undo the love thing?" I asked.

"Nope. You could do with a little love in your life. Kyrillos is obviously brimming with love for ya now," she ignored Kai's snort, "so you're gonna enjoy it."

"Meaning what?" I asked.

"A date," Kai piped up. "I'd say I'm ready now." He arched an eyebrow as if to say "ball's in your court."

"I think it's a great idea," I slid my arm around his waist and pressed myself up against his side.

A look of surprise flashed across his face. "Perfect."

I could outdate him any place, any time. I brightened. This was going to be fun. The touching part wasn't a downside either.

"The fate of the world does dee-pend on you loving each other," Aphrodite said. "So, good. We'll start with a date."

"Still say it's a euphemism," Festos burst out. "And Kai doesn't date."

Kai snaked his arm around my waist before pressing his fingertips into my hip. "Never wanted to before. Sophie's the exception."

"The euphemistic exception?" Festos asked.

"Shut up," Kai and I fired at him in tandem.

Festos took it in stride, waggling his eyebrows cheerfully at Theo who pretended to look disapproving but totally wasn't. Even Hannah didn't bother to hide her smile.

"Only thing is," I told Aphrodite, "I have to be back at school by Sunday morning. I have a meeting I can't miss. So I'll have to get this thing with Jack done quickly to have time for the date."

"Going together to find Hermes is the date." Aphrodite looked at me like I was an idiot. "You two need as much together time as possible."

No way. I needed all my wits about me to handle Kai. Something that couldn't happen if I had to track down Hermes at the same time. I tried a new tactic. "A date involves dinner and a movie. Something romantic. Finding Hermes hardly counts."

She pinned me in her gaze. "Had so miny of them, Miz Expert? All a date is, is two people spendin' time to deepen their attraction."

"Or kill it," Hannah piped up.

Aphrodite scrunched up her nose. "Huh?"

"There are far more first dates than second," Hannah explained. "Which means that after spending time, those people realized they were not a match."

"What she said," I seconded.

Aphrodite narrowed her eyes at Hannah. "I don't get ya. You talk like that but you're so brim up with love."

"I'm a confounding enigma," Hannah replied cheerfully.

Aphrodite threw her hands up. "Enough'a this nonsense. You'll go together to find Hermes. And you'll be date-like doin' it."

That sounded like a threat.

"Almost like you planned it that way," I said to Kai.

His smile grew wider as he gave my waist a squeeze. "Told you I get what I want. Feel free to let that sink in."

I gave Aphrodite my best winning smile. "I really do want this date. But how about we go deal with Jack, get all that sorted out, lift the memory spell, and once that's all out of the way, you can undo Kai's arrow and he and I will have a lovely time falling in love."

Or at least as Kai fell for me. I was still planning on having Pierce shoot me right before the ritual.

"That makes sense," she said.

"Thank you," I replied, glad that this ridiculousness was dealt with.

"Shake hands with Kai and be friends."

Kai shot Aphrodite a surprised look.

"Shake," she said. "I'm tired of the fighting. And besides, I'm payin' for this range by the hour."

I held out my hand. Kai took it. I gave him a smug look which turned to a gasp when I felt a sharp pain in my side.

I looked down to see a gold arrow sticking out of me. It shimmered and then disappeared.

"Oops," Aphrodite said sweetly, "I lied."