Chapter 26

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

" I swear I am fine," Enzo reassured Eris for the third time as she hustled him into the ship's small bathroom. She had changed back into her normal human form and instantly started panicking over his wounds.

"Just wash them out, and I'll call Hermes. Who knows what those filthy creatures carry on their claws," she said, her eyes full of worry. Gone was the furious, winged goddess. Whatever power that had been riding her seemed to have eased back inside her, leaving only a panicking lover.

Enzo kissed her soft mouth. "I think we both need a shower."

"There's not enough room, and if I come in there, we won't shower at all," she insisted, but she was smiling as she said it. That was enough to assure him that she was going to be fine.

Enzo stripped off and got under the hot spray. He couldn't tell what scratches on him had been made by harpies and what had been made by Eris. He still had tiny flecks of metallic darkness clinging to him. He was washing his hair when the shock set in, and he started to shake. He shut his eyes and took some deep breaths to try and calm his racing heart.

He had almost been taken by monsters and had been saved by his goddess yet again. She was the monster that they all rightly feared, but she was nothing but glorious to him no matter what form she was in. Enzo wanted to know that he accepted all of her. She was no less beautiful to him with wings and fangs than without.

He wondered if all mortals who dated gods felt that way. Luckily, he now had a whole bunch of them he could call for advice.

Enzo wrapped a towel around himself and sat in the small kitchen area. Eris had tied on a robe and was hovering over him with her phone held to her ear.

"Okay, he's out of the bathroom. I'm going to put you on video so you can have a look at them, Hermes, so make sure Thoth is there," she said, and Enzo tried not to laugh.

Two gods appeared on screen, and Enzo assumed they were Hermes and Thoth, one fair and one dark and both with scarily intense gazes.

"Hello, Enzo, so nice to meet the descendant of Aeneas," Hermes said, his eyes twinkling with sparks of mischief.

"Really? Because the way I remember it, you sided with the Greeks during the Trojan War," Enzo replied. "I was under the impression that you wanted the entire royal family dead."

"If I hadn't helped Aeneas get to Italy, you would have never been born to become Eris's big cuddle bear." Hermes's grin widened. "And I'm not the god you need to be worried about right now. I was always under the impression that she ate her lovers after sex like a mantis."

"I haven't finished with him yet," Eris quipped back.

"Can we get on with it? There's no point arguing about who sided with whom in which wars and who Eris is going to eat when she gets bored with them," Thoth interrupted. "Show me these wounds, and stop wasting my time."

Eris took the phone and zoomed in on Enzo's various cuts and scrapes.

"Eris, you can't be serious. I was imagining gouges that needed stitches at least," Hermes said, fighting back his laughter.

Thoth added, "I'm changing my number so I don't get bothered by this nonsense anymore."

"I didn't know if harpies have poison on the claws, and he is mortal. Would you call it nonsense if Kema was taken by harpies?" Eris demanded.

"Honestly, I'd be more concerned for the harpies than Kema," Thoth replied with a wry smile.

Hermes scratched his stubble. "Yeah, I agree with Thoth on this one. My granddaughter is the bigger threat in that situation."

"So there's no poison?" Eris said.

"I've never heard of any harpies having poisonous talons. Maybe clean them with antiseptic and make sure they don't become infected, but apart from that, they look about as dangerous as a skinned knee," Hermes replied, still thoroughly amused. "It's nice to see you so concerned, though, Eris. I don't think I've seen you worried over anything before."

Thoth added, "Unless he starts to mutate in some way, I don't think there's anything to be concerned about."

Eris let out a breath. "Okay, I'll clean them and keep an eye on them."

"Bring the cuddle bear to Egypt when you are done in Troy. I want to meet this mortal that has you so enamored. And who managed to make you freak out enough that your wings came back," Hermes added before they hung up.

Enzo took Eris's hand and kissed her palm. "Thank you for double-checking, even though it wasn't necessary."

"I don't know how to take care of a mortal. I don't know what can kill you or not," Eris said, her voice uneasy.

Enzo pulled her between his knees and hugged her, pressing his face to her soft belly. "I'll let you know if I feel sick at all. Would that make you feel better?"

"Yes," she said and threaded her fingers through his hair.

"What did Hermes mean, I helped you get your wings back?"

Eris chewed her lip. "I haven't been able to summon that form in centuries. Seeing them take you today unleashed that ancient part of me. I can't… I can't lose you, Enzo. You seem to be attracting every man-stealing creature around at the moment, and I don't like it."

"I didn't think of it before, but Aeneas also got bothered by harpies near the Strofades Islands. We aren't that close to them yet, but maybe this is still their territory," Enzo replied, running his hands down the backs of her legs to try and soothe her.

Eris grumbled. "Maybe I need to tie you to the mast and be done with it."

"I'm afraid Laverna didn't send her rope collection along with her industrial-size pump bottle of lube." Enzo's hands dropped to her ass and gave it a squeeze. "Though I won't object to you tying me up if you want to have your wicked way with me."

Eris finally laughed and tilted his head back for a kiss. "You silly mortal, I don't need to tie you up to do that."