"But the result was clear," Sabiniano replied. "She gave herself to me freely. Well, mostly freely. You've proven your superiority to Athena."
"I wonder," Dionysus said thoughtfully. He stared into the distance, thinking. "Athena is still playing games with me. There is no way this woman would have given in so easily if she hadn't allowed it. Kalliara was utterly devoted to her; she changed her mind far too easily. Athena released her hold on the human’s loyalty because she feels guilty. She wants the human to live, and she thinks to trick me into allowing that to happen. I want you to give her to the Maenads tonight, then bring me the head. That will teach Athena a lesson about interfering in my business."
Sabiniano stared, shocked, as Dionysus stood and started walking across the room.
“I’m going to the bathing chamber now,” he said casually. “Would you like to join me?”
"No," Sabiniano replied, standing quickly. "And I won’t allow the Maenads to kill Kalliara. She is mine now, and I intend to keep her."
"What?" Dionysus asked coldly, turning to stare at his son. "Sabiniano, are you defying me?"
"I ask this as a personal favor," Sabiniano said, thinking quickly. "I’ve served you my entire life. I have never asked you for anything, but now I am.
I want this woman. She is mine, and I will not give her up. You've won. Isn't that enough?"
"I cannot believe I'm hearing this from you," Dionysus replied, enunciating each word crisply and clearly. A sign of anger Sabiniano had heard too many times… "You are my son, my priest. I have given you everything. How dare you defy me?"
"I will not give her up, father," Sabiniano said sadly, resolve hardening his expression. "I will not allow her to die again because of me."
"Because I love you, I will pretend I didn’t hear that," Dionysus said. His face was beautiful in its coldness, completely without expression. "Bring her head to me tonight and I will forgive you."
"I will not," Sabiniano said quietly.
"Then you will pay my price. I’ll make you suffer in ways humans can’t even imagine," Dionysus replied, his voice a dark hiss of anger. "Think upon it. I expect to see you tonight."
Chapter Ten
Mount Olympus
It was done, then, Athena thought quietly. How it hurt her to give up Kalliara to Dionysus. Of all her fellow gods and goddesses, she despised none as she despised him. And now he had taken one of her most precious children as his own. It pained her to even think of it.
But it was for the best. Kalliara would live, guarded by Sabiniano and blessed by Aphrodite. Of course, she would eventually wither and die naturally.But that wasSabiniano's problem, not Kalliara's , Athena thought with satisfaction. Ultimately, he, too, would pay a price for hurting her child. He would be alone.
"Hello, Athena," a cool, dark voice spoke behind her.
She turned, startled out of her musings, to find Dionysus there, watching her.
"I expect you've come to gloat over your triumph," she said, keeping her tone neutral. "I didn't expect Kalliara to give in, you know. She has proven to be a less than faithful servant," she added dismissively. Dionysus laughed, but it wasn't the laugh of triumph she had expected. It was bitter and harsh.
"Don't play games with me, pretty virgin," he said tightly. He leaned in her doorway indolently, but every muscle in his body seemed tense and ready for action. Something wasn't right, she realized.
"I know what you've done," he said, pushing himself away from the doorway. He stalked toward her, his gaze filled with an intense emotion she couldn't read.
This wasn't her plan at all…
"How stupid do you think I am, Athena?" he asked coldly. "I see right through your little ploy. You gave her to Sabiniano, probably even roped Aphrodite into making him fall in love with her. And you expect me to believe that I've won? I don't think so."
Athena kept her face carefully blank.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said coldly. "I've lost my priestess' daughter. Isn't that enough for you? Why are you still troubling me?"
"Sabiniano defied me earlier," he said, moving closer. She swallowed nervously. He towered above her, every inch of him hard and male. Their powers might be equally matched, but physically he was much stronger than she. Would he actually dare attack her?
He laughed, as if reading her mind.
"Foolish, Athena," he whispered, leaning in to speak directly in her ear. She felt his hot breath against her neck and shivered. "I'll have her head yet.
But I'm very angry with you right now, and it's no longer about your stupid priestess. It's about my son."
"Sabiniano?" she asked, startled. "I've done nothing to him."
"Oh really?" he asked, leaning back. He strolled back toward the door, every inch of him filled with suppressed energy. He was a giant black cat, poised to pounce at the smallest movement. Ah, but shedespised Dionysus!
"My son defied me earlier," he said, quietly, turning back to face her. "I may have to destroy him tonight. If that happens, I will hold you personally responsible. And youwill pay. I promise you that."
He turned and strode out of the room without another word.
"Dammit!" she cried, slamming her hand down on a table. It crashed to the floor, shattered by the force of her blow. She held her hand up and watched as a tiny trickle of blood ran down her arm.
Things had spiraled out of control.
Sabiniano stared down at Kalliara, sleeping so peacefully in his bed. His heart filled with sorrow. This one day was all he would have with her, and then an eternity of torment.
But it would be worth it.
He would rather suffer for all time at his father's hands than give her over willingly to the Maenads. He would love her today, and then, before the sun set and his father came for them, he would kill her. Quickly and painlessly.
He would carry her spirit to the gates of the underworld, and then he would go face his father.
There was no other way.
But in the meantime he would bring her pleasure unlike anything she'd ever experienced. It would be his final gift of love.
"Oh, this is horrible," Aphrodite said, dropping her face into her hands.
"Are you sure, Athena? Maybe he wasn't serious."
"No, I'm sure," Athena said, unable to meet her fellow goddess' gaze. She stared at her hands, willing the problem to go away. It wouldn't.
"What are we going to do?" Aphrodite said in a quiet voice. "You have to think of some way to appease him, Athena. And how did he guess that I was part of it?"
"I don't know!" Athena said, throwing her hands up in the air. She stood abruptly and paced across the room. "We have to think of a way to save Kalliara."
"What about Sabiniano?" Aphrodite asked quietly. "We have to save him, too."
"I don't care about him at all," Athena said, her voice disgusted. "It's his fault this happened in the first place. He's the one who tried to take her."
"Well, to be fair, it's Dionysus' fault," Aphrodite said tartly. "Sabiniano was under his influence, wasn't he? Those rituals may seem like a perversion to us, but they are his duty as a priest. Not only that, Dionysus possesses his people with a special madness. I don't think we can hold him accountable for that."
"I'll hold him accountable for whatever I choose," Athena snapped. She turned and sighed. "I'm sorry, you're right. But I refuse to feel sorry for him.
Kalliara is my only concern."
"Well, both of them are my concern," Aphrodite said, her voice filled with pain. "He loves her. He's defying his father to protect her. As soon as he did that, he became my child, too. I won't abandon him to Dionysus."
"What do you plan to do?" Athena asked quietly.
"I'm going to go see Dionysus and talk to him," Aphrodite said. "I won't abandon my children without a struggle. And theyboth became my children when they fell in love. She's not your problem any more, Athena."