The Warrior God (The Ares Trials #1) - Eliza Raine Page 0,67

sounds like it should probably stay that way.”

“Everyone should know how nasty she is!”

“Bella, please, listen to me. Making a scene is not going to end well, I promise you. She’s not a goddess you want to go up against.”

The anger had eased enough with Aphrodite’s departure for me to know Persephone was right, but frustration replaced the fury fast. If Ares and Aphrodite were together, fine. But for her to talk about him like he was just some toy, some shiny trophy? Telling him she would only sleep with him when he had his power back was the same as saying she didn’t want him for what he really was, only for his strength. It was cruel. If a man told me he wouldn’t sleep with me unless I had bigger boobs or longer hair or a bigger bank balance, I’d tell him to go fuck himself. Why was Ares letting her treat him this way?

I bit down on the inside of my cheek, hard.

Why did I care?

Whatever it was between me and Ares that made the drums bang and the fire dance was physical. Nothing deeper than that. I had no right at all to get involved. He was a grown-ass man, he didn’t need his freaking honor or heart defended by me. And if Aphrodite was jealous of us spending time together, or whatever it was that had made her go all mighty-goddess-bitch on me, there was nothing I could do about that.

The knowledge that she could call me names and belittle me, and I couldn’t do a thing about that either, bothered me though. Of course it did. She had basically just challenged me to a fight I couldn’t win. That was like offering freaking drugs to an addict. But it wasn’t a real fight. When you won a fight you earned money, respect, a title. You didn’t win a fucking man. That wasn’t how it worked.

I glared into the crowd where she had disappeared, trying to let my anger go. I needed to help Ares win the Trials, catch the escaped demon, and save Joshua. Aphrodite’s love-life and bad fucking attitude was not my problem.

28

Ares

I could feel Bella’s anger as she stared after Aphrodite. Unease was gripping my muscles in a vice-like hold as I watched the Goddess sashay through the crowd.

She knew. I knew that she would sense something if she spoke to me, which was why I had done my best to melt into the shadows since arriving.

But somehow she knew before she even saw my face.

“It’s not like you to play so well with others.”

The voice belonged to my sister, and my stomach sank. “Eris, not now.”

“You know, that lover of yours is going to make Bella’s life a misery if you fight so well with her tomorrow.”

“I have to work with her,” I grunted.

“Not necessarily.”

“You’re suggesting I work against her now?” I turned to Eris, scowling. “Earlier today you yelled at me for draining her power.”

“That’s because you had another fight to complete straight away,” she shrugged, her burgundy gown rippling as her shoulders moved. “Tomorrow is the last one. Drain her all you like.”

“It’s only the last one until the next Lord’s Trial,” I snapped.

“I’m sure she’ll have time to recover before then.”

I narrowed my eyes at her, and she sipped from her glass. “I thought you liked Bella,” I said. “Why are you telling me to do this? She’ll hate me.”

“Ares, I don’t like anyone, you know that. And what’s your problem? You’ve already done it once. Do you like her?”

Eris’ eyes sparkled as she looked into mine.

“I just want my power back.”

“You do like her,” Eris breathed, delight on her face.

“Don’t be stupid.” My eyes flicked to Aphrodite instinctively, and Eris caught the look and snorted.

“Sweetie, last I checked, you two were not exclusive. You know she’s with someone different every night, right? She’s the Goddess of Love, for fuck’s sake.”

Heat and anger burned through my veins at the thought, and I was glad for my helmet hiding my reaction. “Go away, Eris.”

“You’re always saying that to me,” she pouted. “Baby brother, at some point that girl is going to find out just what a monster you really are. May as well get it out in the open now.” She gave me a small, knowing smile, and strode off toward the crowd.

I leaned hard against the column beside me, grinding my teeth. What a gods-awful mess.

For centuries I had shared the bed of the most beautiful being in