Worth It - Lisa Oliver Page 0,13
the road as Zeus disappeared. “What am I going to tell Wes now? He’s really worried about Paulie and we’ve got another job we’re supposed to be following up on so it’s not like we can hang around for a while.”
“Zeus does seem unduly upset over the fate of one young shifter,” Ra said thoughtfully. “You say this Paulie was a job that Zeus sent you and your mate on? I must confess, I don’t know much about your kind, but isn’t that rather an unusual thing to ask a demon to do?”
“It was Lord Hades’ idea.” Cass shrugged. “My Wes, he’s a wolf shifter and used to work in the FBI before he joined the Cloverleah pack. He got taken by the dark elves just before they were vanquished and spent months locked up in some bubble in the Underworld. I got sent to find him, that’s how we met, and yeah, stuff happened. Wes wasn’t keen on staying with the pack, and I gained my freedom from the Underworld with our mating, so Hades and Zeus came up with this idea we could travel the world, helping paranormals in trouble. Paulie was our first case actually. We helped him out Christmas Eve just gone.”
“And Zeus in his typical arrogance thought a case full of money and keys for an apartment would make everything right for this Paulie.” Ra sighed and shook his head. “For all his age and wisdom, our wonderful Zeus has the emotional maturity of a mosquito.” Tilting his head, he eyed Cass thoughtfully. “I’d like to meet this shifter if that’s possible. I’m as bound by the non-interference laws as Zeus is supposed to abide by, but I could talk to Paulie, find out what he thinks he needs to feel safe. As a deity, I can make a few tweaks and perhaps give him more security in his life.”
“Wes believes Paulie needs to find his mate. Someone that innocent must have one,” Cass grumbled. “It can’t do any harm you meeting him, I suppose. I don’t know what got up Lord Zeus’s ass, but I’m damn glad I consider Lord Hades my master, not his brother.”
“Zeus has just spent too much time on his mountain in the past few millennia,” Ra said easily. “He’ll climb down from it soon enough. Now, just let me change.” He waved his finger over his form, swapping out biker leathers for a pair of jeans and a light gray Henley. The only part of his original outfit that remained was his boots. “Let’s go and see if we can inject a bit of joy into this Paulie’s life. I must admit, I’m quite intrigued to meet him.”
“No disrespect, but you gods seriously need to get down here more often – then you wouldn’t be so bored all the time.” Cass held out his hand.
“I said the same thing to Zeus just a few hours ago.” Taking his hand, Ra let Cass control their translocation. He really couldn’t help the small smirk on his face as they disappeared. Zeus, I know you’re hiding something, and I bet it’s juicy.
Chapter Five
“Those interfering bitches.” Zeus landed in his private quarters still a bundle of anger and confusion. “How dare the fucking Fates presume to dictate to me!” Thumping his chest, he shook off his human persona, becoming the god so many knew and feared. Huge bulk, shaggy blond hair and a face like thunder.
“Think. Think.” Zeus paced the floor, his hair and legs flying. His first instinct was to go to the Fates and demand they reshuffle their threads. “But no.” Zeus paused, pointing at the ceiling. “I’m not getting mocked the way Sei did when he tried to get that wolf bite annulled. I’m not that silly, but there must be something I can do.”
The pacing resumed. Zeus’s personal space was palatial, as befitted his station in life. But Zeus ignored the magnificent sculptures and the huge columns that seemed to stretch up into the sky.
I could take another mate - one from the god line. That would put a kink in the Fates’ plan. That idea made Zeus pause for a second, but then he kept pacing. Despite academics claiming he was married to his sister Hera, and that he’d slept with his other sister Demeter to produce Persephone, and some scholars claimed he’d slept with her too, Zeus didn’t mess with family – especially the females. They’d be inclined to make a full-time hobby out of making his