Worth It - Lisa Oliver Page 0,3

shopping over the holiday period.”

“All of that, in here?” Paul looked like he was going to cry, but he was clinging to the case like it was a lifeline. “How do these friends of yours even know I exist?”

“Because truly innocent souls shine bright enough to blind the gods,” Cass said blithely, stuffing some fries in his mouth. “What?” he said when Wesley looked at him, and noticed Paul was doing the same. “It’s true. So, who’s up for a walk to the bus stop? Shall I get some coffee to go?”

And it wasn’t long after that, when Paul, or Paulie as he prefers to be called, found a seat on the bus, and headed towards his new life. Now we can get on with the story.

Chapter One

“You truly need to get out more.”

“Aargh.” Zeus hurriedly twitched his finger, blackening the twelve monitors he had running along one large wall. Swinging around in his office chair, modeled like his throne, he glared at the familiar-faced intruder.

“You’d think, after eons of existence, you’d have learned to use a door by now, Ra. You know - that hunk of wood in the frame over there.” He pointed to the far wall. “Polite people knock on one of those before they gain entrance to a private room, especially when the damn door is locked.”

“Zeus, baby.” Ra perched himself on the corner of another desk. “How long have we known each other? For goodness sake, we’re both considered Fathers of all the gods in our respective pantheons. It’s not like we have secrets from each other. Ooh,” he grinned and waggled his eyebrows. “Did I catch you watching porn?”

“I hardly need to watch porn.” Zeus refused to let his cheeks redden. “Apparently, I’ve had more sex and spawned more offspring than any being alive, if you believe the crap written about me in human mythology.”

“Which is only one tenth true.” Ra chuckled, flinging back his blond hair. “And I don’t know about any being alive. I’m sure there were times I could give you a run for your money. So, tell me, who have you been boffing lately?”

“Boffing?” Damn language must be changing again. Zeus made a mental note to check and make sure his dictionaries on his computer system were up to date.

“Yes, boffing.” Ra winked. “You know, shagging, fucking, doing the horizontal tango with? Ooh, I know. That’s what you were doing, watching your big screens in a locked room – you were spying on your next conquest. Who is it? Let me see.”

“What are you? Sixteen?” Zeus clicked up a lightning bolt, tossing it up in the air and catching it one handed. It was only a small one, but most gods took the warning for what it was. “It really wouldn’t matter who I was boffing, shagging or fucking, would it? They never last, they’re not important and they make no difference to the way I live my life.” He studiously ignored the pang in his heart.

“It’s like I said, you need to get out more.” Unfazed by the lightning bolt, Ra got up, stretching and wandering around the room. “The Fates are on a mating buzz. Both your brothers have one, Death himself, Thor. Even the great Silvanus was pulled back from willing himself into non-existence by the promise of a mate – your nephew, if I recall.”

“You know damn well who Silvanus mated – Artemas is your grandson too.” Zeus curled his lip. “The Fates had better not mess with me. According to legend I sired the blooming Fates, but you wouldn’t think that the way they strut around knotting their bloody threads, acting like they’re above everyone else in existence. What did you want, anyway? Can’t you see I’m busy?”

“Oh, Zeus, baby.” Ra pouted, and on him it worked. The father of all Egyptian gods looked like an out of work college student most days. He seemed to enjoy wearing the denims young humans favored, although at least the pair Ra was wearing fit him properly. Zeus shuddered at the thought of the baggy pants he saw so many humans wearing as they went about their day. So, engrossed in his thoughts about jeans fitting a certain other person he might have been peeking in on, Zeus almost missed Ra’s question.

“Have you been interfering in mortal affairs again?”

“I follow the edicts laid down after the war the same as everyone else.” Zeus’s fingers itched to start up his screens again, but Ra was as old as he