Nocked for a Loop Read online

  An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

  www.ellorascave.com

  Nocked for a Loop

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Nocked for a Loop Copyright © 2009 Sam Cheever.

  Edited by Helen Woodall

  Cover art by Syneca

  Electronic book Publication July 2009

  The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

  With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

  Nocked for a Loop

  Sam Cheever

  Chapter One

  Summoned to Olympus

  Christian Kairos stopped at the bottom of the wide, marble stairway leading to the Building of Judgment, where all laws are made and carried out on Olympus. He had an appointment with Zeus and wasn’t looking forward to it.

  Generally Earth-based Cupids were allowed to stay remote, doing their business as necessary to help the human race. But occasionally—rarely—their services were needed on Olympus. Unfortunately for Christian, this was one of those occasions and the Fates had asked specifically for him.

  He was not thrilled.

  With a sigh, he climbed the steps and entered the cool, flower-scented building. His gaze slid toward the tall, golden doors across the granite lobby. They stood open, beckoning him like a siren call.

  And possibly just as deadly.

  He took a reluctant step toward the doors.

  A young woman suddenly appeared in the doorway, apparently having been before the Council of the Gods. She floated toward him on tiny feet wrapped in gold silk slippers. She wore a traditional Council gown, which skimmed well-shaped ankles and rounded low on an abundant chest. Her hair was long, of the richest golden color and worn in a Grecian ponytail, with flowers from the Garden of Life threaded through it. Her face was heart-shaped and her eyes were downcast. A soft spot of pink colored each fair cheek.

  She seemed deep in thought.

  She looked up as she passed him and gave a little start, as if she hadn’t known he was there. A tremulous smile danced across her full lips and she ducked her head as she continued past.

  Drawn by some power he didn’t understand, Christian turned to watch her leave the building. Something about the young goddess pulled at him, creating heat in his body where, before, anticipation of an audience with Zeus had filled him with an arctic kind of cold. He had to fight an almost overwhelming urge to turn and follow her out of the building.

  He actually took one step in that direction in fact but a voice from the Council Chambers called him back to reality.

  “We are ready for you, Christian Kairos.”

  Christian turned back, filled with feelings of regret he couldn’t understand, and sighed. He moved toward the Council doors, determined to get his business over so he could return to Earth. Olympus always made his palms sweat.

  *

  Christian looked at the woman standing next to him. She was beautiful, aside from the storm cloud that had settled over her pretty face. Her features seemed vaguely familiar. She was tall for a woman and elegant, with shoulder-length red-gold hair and rose-tinted lips that were full and kissable.

  She certainly didn’t look like she should need his services. “Majesty,” Christian addressed Zeus, “If I may ask, why have you requested a Cupid’s aid?

  Zeus bent a glare on the goddess Callista. “My granddaughter is determined to cavort with a warrior of the court. Because of her perfidy, I’ve told her she will marry a god of my choosing. She refuses to aid me in my search. But I am a fair god…”

  One of Callista’s red-gold eyebrows peaked at this and a less than ladylike snort emerged.

  “And I wish my granddaughter to be happy…”

  The young goddess stamped her foot. “Then let me marry whom I wish…”

  Zeus pounded his ever present gavel and glared at her. “Silence!”

  Christian grimaced. He hated forced matches.

  “You will find my granddaughter her perfect match, Cupid. And she will marry this god, whomever he might be. I have spoken. Leave me!”

  *

  “I don’t suppose you can cook the books, Cupid?’

  Christian looked up from the scroll and halted the magic pen he’d been writing with. Being seriously of the old school—literally—Zeus refused to bring computers to Olympus. But with magic scrolls and pens, Christian was able to do some form of his usual work. He smiled. “Cook the books?”

  She nodded, crossing her slender legs with a swish of silk on silk. “Can’t you just make it so Leander is my perfect match?”

  Christian sighed, dropping the pen and sitting back in his chair. “I wish I could, Callista. I hate forced matches.”

  She stared at him for a long moment, apparently assessing whether he was telling her the truth. Finally she must have decided he was. “It’s just so unfair. Leander is the greatest warrior in the Olympian army. He’s tall and strong and brave and everything I’ve ever wanted in a mate. But because one of his parents had suspicious beginnings we can’t be together. It makes me want to run away with him to Earth.” She slanted a glance toward Christian to determine his reaction to this.

  Christian tried to work up the appropriate outrage to her declaration but…he liked Earth. Aside from the loss of immortality the young goddess would be bringing upon herself, living on Earth didn’t seem like much of a hardship to him. He finally settled for a frown. “Don’t be silly, Callista. Now, let’s stay on track. Describe yourself to me. What kinds of things do you like to do with your free time? What’s your favorite color?”

  Callista frowned and slumped dejectedly in her chair. She placed the pinkie finger of her right hand between her perfect white teeth and nibbled on it. The nail on that finger was a bit battered looking, telling Christian this was something she was prone to do. He made a notation on the scroll. When striving to find the perfect match, no detail was too small.

  *

  Two hours later he’d come up with two young gods on Olympus who were semi-perfect matches for Callista. Neither one was perfect but they were close enough to pursue. He gave the names to the petulant goddess across from him and, predictably, she sneered at them.

  “Philander is an oaf. He has hair everywhere. Dinos is nice enough but he’s afraid of his shadow. I need a man who knows how to fight for what he wants, not a mouse or a hairy beast.” She rounded her pretty shoulders and the pinkie finger slid back between her teeth.

  Christian sighed and stood. “How about we have these meetings in the Garden of Life? This building makes me nervous.”

  Callista looked up and smiled, her pretty olive colored eyes sparking with renewed humor. She popped out of her chair and took the arm he offered her. “That’s a wonderful idea.
”

  The Garden of Life was warm and smelled of flowers. Birds sang gaily as Christian and Callista strolled along in companionable silence, lost in their individual thoughts. When they reached the meeting spot, Callista’s pretty face clouded over again.

  Christian waved a hand and a soft divan appeared in the lush grass. Callista sank onto it, sighing sadly.

  The young god, Philander appeared first. Christian had to grudgingly admit that Callista’s initial observation was dead on. Philander was a hairy beast. He stood tall and strong, with a square jaw and a large nose.

  As he appeared before them in the Garden of Life the birds stopped singing.

  Not a good sign.

  Philander dropped clumsily to one knee in front of Callista and grasped her hand, placing it enthusiastically to his lips. “Goddess of my heart.”

  Callista just barely kept from rolling her eyes. She took back her hand and discreetly dried it on her robes. “Philander, how nice to see you again.”

  He took this as an invitation to sit down next to her. He did so with an enthusiasm that nearly sent her skyward. The feet of the divan on Callista’s side lifted out of the soft grass and she toppled sideways, into Philander’s lap.

  As the two of them attempted to extricate themselves Christian had to look away. He coughed to keep from laughing outright. When he turned back Callista was giving him a double barreled eyebrow lift and she looked just a little bit desperate.

  Philander, for his part, was completely oblivious to her alarm. He was busily sniffing her hair like a loyal pet.

  Christian took sudden pity on the beautiful goddess. “Thank you for coming, Philander, grandson of Hercules. We’ll get back to you.”

  Philander’s nose was buried in Callista’s tresses and he seemed to have put himself into a stupor with her scent. She rolled her eyes sideways in alarm and tried to nudge him away discreetly with her shoulder.

  To no avail.

  Finally Christian walked over and placed a hand on the young god’s shoulder, squeezing just a bit harder than strictly necessary to get his attention. Philander looked up and his eyes were dull with lust. “Huh?”

  “Time to go, Philander.”

  The young god’s mouth slammed shut. “Oh. Yes.” He stood. “I look forward to seeing you again, Callista.” He grabbed her hand again and kissed it before disappearing into the Garden.

  Callista scrubbed the back of her hand on her skirts and glared at Christian. “Just so you know. I will throw myself off Olympus’ jagged peaks before I marry that oaf.”

  Christian nodded and made a show of scratching Philander off the list with his magic pen. “Gone. Let’s see what Dinos has to offer us.”

  The short answer to that was, not much.

  The young god appeared before them, stumbled over his overlarge feet when attempting to take Callista’s hand and mumbled his way through the few moments of conversation Christian could stand to watch. He dismissed the shy young god and flopped down onto the divan next to Callista.

  “Gods!” he grumbled.

  Callista nodded. “Welcome to my world, Cupid.”

  They sat in companionable silence for a moment. Then Christian said, “I’ll definitely have to widen my parameters.”

  Callista sighed. “You do that. And keep widening until my beloved Leander slides within them.”

  Christian chuckled.

  Callista smiled at him. “It’s my turn to play Cupid, methinks.”

  Christian narrowed his eyes. “What exactly does that mean?”

  In lieu of responding, Callista reached for his hand. “Come.” They shifted to another place.

  Chapter Two

  Into the Maiden’s Arms

  They landed in the courtyard of a castle built of sparkling white stone. Beneath their feet, lush grass, liberally speckled with flowers of all types and colors, waved vibrantly in a soft, fragrant breeze. Nearby, untethered horses cropped lazily on the juicy stalks of grass.

  “What have you dragged home this time, Callista?” The voice was pure music, sliding up his spine like warm silk and quavering with amusement.

  Christian turned and felt his heartbeat pick up hopefully in his chest. The lovely goddess from the Building of Justice was standing before him, with a tidy array of flowers in her arms. The way her beautiful green eyes widened, he knew she’d recognized him too. “We meet again, goddess.”

  Callista gave a little trill of laughter. “You two know each other? Much the better. Have fun, sister.” Callista disappeared, her fading voice informing them, “I’m off to Leander.”

  Behind him, a sigh of frustration broke the silence. Christian turned and was very surprised to find that a storm cloud had landed on the beautiful goddess’s face.

  She was glaring at him.

  He was absolutely gorgeous. Arion had felt an instant jolt of sexual delight at seeing him in the Building of Justice and she’d recognized the spark that passed between them for what it was…fate. He was tall and well-built, with long limbs and big hands and feet, manly proportions. His face was broad too, with high, sculpted cheekbones and wide eyes of a true green. His lips were full and biteable, above a square chin. Thick, black eyelashes shaped the green of his gaze and lush, black hair dropped in a silken fall to his broad shoulders. Yummy.

  And she couldn’t have him.

  The goddess pursed her lips in agitation and shook her head, bringing the gold silk of her hair forward to rest against the peaches and cream mounds of a very healthy bosom. At a further sound of indignation, Christian forced his gaze to rise to her heart-shaped face, which currently looked as if she wanted to hit him about the head and shoulders with her pretty floral arrangement.

  “Some Cupid you’ve turned out to be.” The young goddess turned on her heel and stomped toward a gate at the far end of the courtyard.

  Christian, telling himself he only wanted to recoup his good name, followed hot on her heels. “I beg your pardon, goddess…” He let the question hang hopefully, counting on her good manners to win him her name.

  She cast him a quick glance as she slipped through the gate. The dense perfume of a million lush blooms assailed Christian’s nostrils as they entered the castle gardens. He realized she’d probably been returning to the castle when he and Callista had happened upon her.

  “Arion.” She told him with a pretty pout. “And I’ll not lie with you just because my sister wishes it.”

  Christian choked miserably at this, stopping on the spot to sputter and gag helplessly. Arion sighed in a long-suffering way and returned to smack him upon the back uselessly. Finally he gathered control of his esophagus and grabbed one of her soft hands, pulling it from his back.

  “I…” He cleared his throat, “I have barely met you. Why would you think I expected you to lie with me?”

  Arion eyed him with cynical if gorgeous green eyes and then, apparently deciding he was telling her the truth, finally lowered those dense golden lashes and blushed.

  Christian found himself hardening on the spot as the blush crept down her long, white neck and into the soft mounds above her dress. He swallowed hard, realizing he was thinking exactly what she’d accused him of. He turned away and stalked off a bit too quickly. “I must find your sister. We have work to do. Do you know where she’s gone?”

  Arion fell into step beside him, shaking her head. “Nay. They have a secret place. No one knows of it.”

  “Except you.”

  She looked up at him, biting a lush, bottom lip. “She won’t tell me where ’tis.”

  She looked so saddened at this that Christian gave her a soft smile to make her feel better. It seemed to work a little, she offered him a tiny smile in return.

  Linking his arm with hers companionably, Christian turned them toward a small lake in the distance. “Tell me about this Leander. Why does your grandfather reject him as a suitor for your sister?”

  Arion sighed. “He is very handsome and extremely accomplished as a warrior. But alas, his pa
rentage has been called into question. His true father has never been proved.”

  Christian handed her down to a concrete bench in the shade of a beautiful flowering tree. “How is that possible?”

  She shrugged, the movement causing the soft, white mounds of her breasts to mush together nicely and wobble. Christian licked his lips and sat down next to her on the bench. He looked out over the lake, studiously avoiding the mouthwatering view beside him.

  “Aphrodite swears his father was Proteus.”

  Christian frowned, “Poseidon’s attendant?”

  Arion closed her eyes and leaned her head back on the soft bark of the flowery tree. “Or his son, depending upon which legends you believe.”

  Christian took the opportunity to stare at her while she wasn’t looking. She was indeed a lush and succulent morsel. She was smaller than Callista and plumper, with skin like the finest silk and hair like spun gold. Her hands and feet were tiny, her features fine, with the delectable exception of those full, soft lips.

  Her scent pulled at him like a drug. Almost in a daze, he leaned forward, scenting the air around her like a horny canine.

  Before Christian knew what he was doing he was lowering his lips towards hers.

  Arion must have sensed him because her eyes flew open. She shrieked in alarm and lunged upward, bringing her forehead into direct confrontation with Christian’s nose. “Argh!” Christian jumped as blood shot from his nose.

  Arion dropped back onto the bench, rubbing her forehead and groaning.

  “Are you all right?” He reached for her as she appeared to swoon and then realized too late that his hands were covered with his own blood. He streaked it across the fine fabric of her gown as he pulled her into his arms. Lifting her chin with one bloody finger, he commanded her to open her eyes.

  She did as instructed. Christian was alarmed to see that the beautiful green orbs were slightly crossed. He lifted her from the bench, fully intending to carry her to the castle for aid.

  “What are you doing?” She pushed at his chest with her small hands, her face darkening with embarrassment.

  “Taking you to get help.”