Goddess of Pain - Katie May Page 0,83

the guys,” Rebecca continues, swallowing, “and I came right away.”

My head spins like a tilt-a-whirl at an amusement park.

“Rebecca, what do you—”

Before I can finish my question, a third figure sidles up behind Rebecca and places a knife to her throat. She whimpers, thrashing, but the grip on her only tightens.

Behind her, Athena smiles cruelly.

“Let’s have a chat, shall we?”

Chapter 27

Do you have that one person you hate above anyone else? That one soul you would like to see burning in hell’s bowels while you pee on their grave?

That’s Athena for me.

I wouldn’t be able to tell you when, or even how, our rivalry began, only that it’s still present to this day.

My hands are tied behind my back around the wooden kitchen chair, and my ankles are securely fastened to the legs of the chair. Athena gloats victoriously as she tightens the rope around my wrists.

“I’ve waited too fucking long for this,” she muses, releasing a devilish, tinkling laugh.

“I’m sorry,” Rebecca whispers. “I’m so sorry.” She begins to cry in earnest, fat, sloppy tears that cascade down her cheeks and into the column of her throat. She hasn’t stopped apologizing since we were captured by that bitch, Athena. Well, since she was captured, and Athena offered to spare her life if I willingly turned myself in.

I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but one thing is clear—Rebecca is just as much a victim in all of this as I am.

Tied to the chair next to me, she drops her chin to her chest as her body shakes with sobs. At first, I think she’s crying because she’s scared, but when she lifts her head, I see a steely determination that’s been absent in all the centuries I’ve known her.

“If you hurt my men, so help me, I’ll kill you!” Her voice is capable of freezing lava. Those tear-stained eyes of her glisten with an almost elemental fury.

Athena releases another high-pitched laugh as she moves to stand in front of me.

“Those men you both care about? Henry, Ray, and Colton? They’re fine…for now.” Almost absently, she slides my knife between her pointer finger and thumb, and I can’t help but wish that she accidentally cuts herself and bleeds to death. A girl can only dream.

There’s no denying that Athena is a beautiful goddess. If you were to see her on the street, you would instantly become mesmerized by her ethereal looks. Golden hair cascades in perfect ringlets down to the middle of her back. Her face is cherubic with red-painted lips, dewy features, and sea-blue eyes. She radiates light and purity—a fitting description, given that she’s the Goddess of Virtue.

Gag.

But her power has warped her over time, making her nearly unrecognizable. Now, she deems everyone who is different from her as sinful and deserving of death. She’s a tyrant through and through.

Oh, and a major fucking bitch.

“If you hurt my brothers…” I trail off, allowing the warning to settle in the air like an invisible, poisonous gas. Instead of looking properly threatened, as she should’ve been, Athena merely laughs, the noise grating on my nerves.

“I missed this verbal sparring.” She pats my cheek condescendingly. “Haven’t you?”

Without another word, she spins on her heel and stalks into the living room, humming softly beneath her breath. Unlike me and Rebecca, she’s dressed in the opulent gowns we always wore when we were in the Realm of the Gods. The silver clings to her figure like a second skin, pushing up her breasts before tapering outwards at her hips. A diamond tiara sits snugly in her mane of blonde hair, the jewel glimmering in the scarce moonlight pouring in through the kitchen window.

“Fuck her,” I hiss, glaring at where she retreated to.

“Athena’s behind this,” Rebecca whimpers, and I turn towards my best friend to see the tears already drying on her face. Nothing but grave determination emanates from her gray eyes as she stares at me.

“Apparently so.”

But how? What happened during those last few days in the Realm of the Gods? How did we end up here with our memories gone? She must’ve received help, but I can’t even begin to comprehend who would be dumb enough to cross me. To be quite honest, I don’t know a lot of gods and goddesses. I have a tendency to avoid other people and stick with those I’m familiar with.

“Did you think…” Rebecca bites down on her lower lip. “Did you think I was involved?” The betrayal oozing from her voice is impossible to miss,