AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 2
Elyse
After a couple of hours of photography, I finished and headed home. Yet my mind remained on Hades and on X, even when taking photos and trying to find the right shots for my clients. I stepped out of the alleyway just as movement caught my attention in my peripheral vision. I turned to find a dead pigeon on its back, near a dumpster. I glanced up and studied the busy sidewalk, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Poor bird. It must have been its time. Unlike the people X had taken before their deaths.
The earlier unease lingered, while a coldness swirled around my legs, yet the wind remained distant. My mind replayed a short loop of him jumping me not long ago when I hadn’t expected him. The gods came to my rescue, but it was a reminder to always remain vigilant.
Where are you, X?I swallowed hard, hating this cat-and-mouse game. What the fuck was he waiting for? My stomach heaved, and each step I took through the crowds felt like a move toward my own grave. Everything in my mind tumbled around X.
My phone buzzed, and I flinched.Fuck, the asshole had me high-strung. I collected the phone from my pocket and answered it.
“What are you doing?” Catina asked.
I exhaled and let my muscles untangle. Hearing from my simple, straightforward human friend was a welcome break from everything. It was a rarity in my life these days; plus, she offered me the distraction I needed from my hectic otherworldly business.
Recently, though, Catina and I hadn’t been as close as we used to be. Even when I saw her atFoundation, the magazine that had me on retainer for some fashion but mostly city life photos, it just wasn’t the same.
Every time I learned more about my role as a godly fighter, the more I felt like Catina and I were drawing away from each other. Plus, she didn’t see eye to eye with me on my choice of lovers…more specifically, with how many I had.
But I missed my friend—it was an ache that came and went, sitting in my gut like a slow-burning fire, always returning in quiet moments. I missed how around her, everything felt easy and there wasn’t anything to worry about other than looking good on our nights out and whether some guy was a good kisser or not. God, those days seemed a lifetime away. I wanted to hear her gossip about work, to laugh at funny things she did, and to enjoy her company… But if I let myself dwell on what was slipping away, I’d crumble.
“I’m working,” I said. “Got some amazing photos of the city.”
“That’s new,” she replied with a smile in her voice, and I breathed easy.
I’d been uncertain how things would play out between us after our last argument. Especially since Catina wouldn’t let go of her viewpoint, so we agreed not to talk about her disapproval over my love life and try to make our friendship work. To somehow return to where we used to be.
I laughed because she was right, I didn’t often work. Not as frequently as I trained. Or fought.
“Why?” I asked, slightly hesitant. “What’s up?”
“I got off work early today. Do you want to meet up?”
Was she wanting another serious conversation over how many men I dated? Or was I overreacting?
Yet, she carried a cheery tone behind her words. This was what I missed, my friend laughing and catching up, so I agreed. I longed to see her, rekindle our friendship, and spend time with her doing the little things that didn’t matter but made me feel so good. I needed to know we were both moving forward and attempting to make our relationship work.
We met at the Metric Coffee Co., as usual. It was her favorite place. Even though I didn’t love coffee that much, the artisan shop had become the place I associated with Catina and a good time.
When I hugged her hello. Her hair hung longer than usual—she always looked stunning, no matter how long she wore her blonde hair. But it was a testament to how little time we spent together.
“I feel like we hardly talk anymore,” Catina said after we’d ordered our coffee and sat down at one of the tables.
“I’ve been so busy.” I fidgeted with my fingernails.
Catina nodded but didn’t answer me. I half-expected her to ask what I was so busy with, to mention the men in my life. I didn’t want to keep lying to her, but there was a very blurry line between the truth of what I was doing and insanity.
It’d been a while since Catina and I spent time together without fighting. The past couple of months had been weird for me. I developed feelings for at least three different men, and I still had to smooth things out with the one guy, Poseidon, whom Catina thought was solid.
Then there was Oliver, my neighbor. To be fair, he was a great guy. And he’d make some ordinary girl extremely happy. But it just wouldn’t work for me. Oliver had a crush on me for a long time, and we’d gotten as far as organizing a date before I stood him up. But we’d mostly eased over that awkward situation.
I hated that I hurt him in the process, but it was better this way because he and I could never work out. And I had enough men in my life.
“So, how’s your love life?” Catina asked.
I glanced at her warily. And there it was,thequestion. We’d gotten stuck on the men in my life. She didn’t agree with my polyamorous life, which was what this was becoming.
“It’s fine.” I shrugged.
