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

Hit Me Baby One More Time (Part 2)

Instead of being wet, I found myself floating underwater but in the air. The women continued to sing, starting their song again as they somehow plucked orchids which did usually not grow underwater to weave in my hair.

By the time they had finished adorning me, I was singing, too.

I rose out of the waves. Light caught the spray of droplets, creating a thousand tiny prisms of color. Crooning my heart out with eternal angst, I was consumed with emotion. I had to sing.

This was the most poignant song ever written and I was the keeper of all the anguish.

Kai stepped out into the clearing and I sang to him. Sang this ageless story that was our tale. About misunderstanding. About confession. And this burning need to know.

I walked out of the water and took Kai's hands. Enfolded him in my arms then returned us to the pond. I sank with him beneath the waves into this place of air, my voice raised in lyrical pleading to show me that sign.

That's when Kai tickled me.

As I started to laugh and could no longer sing, I realized that I was drowning him—not in air but in cold water—while burbling Britney Spears lyrics off-key, tears falling from my eyes like an overwrought teenybopper.

Jack hadn't attacked me, psychologically or otherwise. No, he'd put me under the spell of the sirens and then made me their lead singer in an attempt to take Kai out. Thankfully, it hadn't worked.

I stumbled out of the pond and said casually, "Well, that was awkward."

There was a moment of silence and then the two of us burst out laughing, doubled over.

Kai could barely speak. "You. And that song."

He mimicked me. It was painful.

"Stop," I begged. "You're killing me."

"Like your loneliness?" he howled.

I swatted at him weakly, tears streaming down my face. "Don't. Make. Me. Pee."

That just set him off more. It was a good five minutes before we'd composed ourselves enough to compare stories on what had happened.

Kai had gone in search of water, only to find me gone upon his return. I told him about the tigers and sirens.

"There was only you," he said.

"Then the Supremes left me to go solo. Believe me. They were there." I placed my hand on his arm. "Glad I didn't drown you with my alluring voice."

Kai's eyes crinkled in amusement. "Hermes didn't realize that you can't sing worth a damn."

I shook out my hair. "I'm not that bad."

"Sweetheart, you suck. Lucky for me, he was banking on Persephone's abilities with that one. Didn't transfer."

I wrung out my once again wet clothing. "So what now? Find his house?"

Kai knelt at the edge of the pond and motioned me over. "First we drink. This pond is freshwater."

I realized how dehydrated I was when I found myself gulping down water like there was no tomorrow. "Not quite as good as Olympus, but damn fine."

"You drank the water up there?" He sounded like he couldn't believe I'd been that dumb.

"It's not like we learn about it in school," I said. "Stop, drop, and roll, beware of stranger danger, and when in Olympus, stick with soda."

Kai took the lead. I held on to the back of his waistband as we continued our trek.

It was hot and boring. And uphill. Very uphill.

To take my mind off it, I started talking. "Tell me a bit about yourself. What kind of movies do you like?"

"Revenge flicks."

"Wow. Don't make the psychoanalysis too easy. At least you didn't go all Oedipal complex."

Kai swatted at an overhanging branch. "Really? Of all the Greeks, that's the one you know?"

"Thanks to the fine curriculum developers of grade ten English. Had a unit on it last year."

"Uh-huh. Please. Enlighten me about the mysteries of your soul with your cinematic preferences."

Smartass. "I like lots. Especially movies about girls who kick ass. Who don't sit around waiting for a boy to save them. Crouching Tiger, Matrix, Fifth Element. That kind of stuff." I winced at the squelchiness of my saturated boots, but I was drying surprisingly quickly. Although walking behind Kai, I was bummed out that he was dressed again.

He turned and favored me with a grin. It warmed my skin like sunshine pouring down on me. Almost made up for the clothing. "You continue to surprise me."

"That's because I am unique."

"One of a kind," he agreed, "For which I'm supremely grateful."

I slapped him on the butt. When he glanced over his shoulder at me, I shrugged and said, "Sorry. Alien hand syndrome. My hand is not in my control."

I sang a few bars of the X-Files theme for good measure.

"You are so weird."

"Flying my freak flag, baby," I agreed.

"Waving your weird wand," he retorted.

I scrunched up my face. "Now that just makes me sound like a boy."

Kai laughed. "No guy would ever call it his wand. Weird or otherwise."

"Agree to disagree."

"Again," he agreed.

I smiled because it was fun to be getting along with Kai. Especially when he was, dare I say it, in a playful mood.

A brilliant pink dragonfly flew past, close to our heads. I clapped in delight just as Kai flinched.

"Aw, did the wittle dwagonfwy fweak you out?" I joked.

"I don't like them," he said flatly.

Curious.

"They can't hurt you," I pointed out.

Kai turned a mirthless smile on me. "Hurt doesn't have to be physical."

"Come on, they can't emotionally hurt you either." I wasn't trying to be bitchy. I thought he was kidding or something. I mean, dragonflies? Really? "Were you dive-bombed by evil ones in Hades?"

"All the dragonflies in the Underworld are grey," he said, resuming walking.

"Okay. I didn't see any when I was there but I'll take your word for it." His strides had gotten longer so I had to hurry to keep pace. "I'm sorry. I just don't see what the biggie is."

He didn't say anything. Just kept walking.

I poked him in the back. "Kai, talk to me."