Lover Divine (Mythos: Gods and Lovers #1) Read online

  Lover, Divine

  Mythos: Gods and Lovers, Book One

  By A. Star

  Published by A. Star

  Copyright 2014 A. Star

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, character, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is greatly appreciated.

  Dedicated to the one and only...love.

  OTHER WORKS BY A. STAR

  Invasion (An Alien Romance)

  Here Kitty, Kitty (A Paranormal Romance Anthology)

  WRITING AS DIANTHA JONES

  The Oracle of Delphi Series

  Prophecy of the Most Beautiful

  Prophecy of the Setting Sunrise

  Prophecy of Solstice's End

  Prophecy of the Betrayed Heir (September 2014)

  Prophecy of the Eternal Empire (Summer 2015)

  Mythos: Stories from Olympus

  Solar, Defeated

  Hero, Cursed (Coming Soon!)

  PROLOGUE

  This is a love story unlike any other. At least, unlike any other I've ever read.

  Tales of true love most often follow a set of rules. A series of fated events conspire for the lovers to meet, they inevitably fall in love, their love is tested and pushed to its breaking point, yet they overcome it and in the end, declare their undying devotion and love to one another for as long as they both shall live.

  This is not one of those stories.

  I was born into a world where magic and monsters are real, castles are built upon clouds, and a secret society of mortals act as representatives of the gods on Earth. I am a member of that secret society. It was why he chose me.

  Looking back, I entered into this love affair not knowing what the outcome would be, not knowing that it would change my life, and the world as I knew it, forever. I don't think anyone knew. Except for him.

  He knew that I was a part of the Fates' cruel design, and that loving me was the beginning of the end. If I had only known what the future truly held...maybe I could have done something to stop him...

  Even now, over two decades later, I know that is a lie. From the moment I met him, I was done for. He conquered me with a single glance, incinerated me with just one touch, seduced me with sweet words and invaded my heart in a way I never imagined.

  Yes, I fell in love with him.

  And this is how the end began.

  I. A LOVER FOUND

  Fate is one scary bastard.

  The knowledge that our lives come pre-destined, chosen by higher beings before our birth, is terrifying. Fate already knows the moment of your first breath...and of your last. It leads you down a path of success or failure, happiness or misery. It decides whether the legacy you leave behind will be great or small. It chooses your parents, your friends, your children. And your lovers.

  Many believe we have a choice in these matters, that we can alter the outcome. But as the gods are my witnesses, we are nothing but pawns. Fate makes the rules, and we are nothing but strategic moves on the board that is destiny's plan.

  It didn't occur to me until many years later that the events leading to my being late for orchestra that fateful day had all been connived. But not by Fate, exactly. By him.

  I was the principal violinist for the symphony orchestra at my university and had never been late for a single rehearsal my entire career. Needless to say, I was a mess and cursing Zeus—silently, of course—with every step as I trampled across campus through the thick layer of snow to get inside the hall. It hardly ever snowed this hard in Ireland, even in January, and that only added to my crossness.

  I expected to hear the methodical melody of strings, winds, and brass as soon as I flung open the door to the auditorium, but what I found instead was absolutely startling. Rehearsal had not even begun and most of my fellow performers were chatting and laughing amongst themselves as though they were at a pub. My eyes searched for our conductor, James Corrigan, and I quickly located him standing off to the side, away from his podium, conversing with the most beautiful being I'd ever seen in my life.

  To say he was magnificent would have been an insult to his beauty. His sable hair was short and tamed, accentuating his young face and proud jaw. Crystal blue eyes turned to me as I approached the stage and I saw his full lips turn up ever so slightly at the corners, reserved, like he held onto a secret he would take to his grave. An intriguing masculine confidence radiated from his aura like a sunbeam radiated light. And it wasn't just because he was tall and well-built, possessing a physique made to be adored.

  No, it wasn't that.

  This man, this majestic creation, was immortal. There was no other explanation.

  Beauty like his, so pure and magical, had to have been granted to him and I wondered which god he was in favor with. Or goddess. I quickly deduced it was Aphrodite. The goddess of Love was known for altering her lovers' looks to fit her fancy, changing ordinary immortals into the ultimate objects of desire.

  Well, she'd done a grand job of it, because what flared up in me at the sight of him couldn't have been labeled as anything but lust. I was almost disgusted with myself. Almost.

  "Ah, Siobhan! You've finally arrived!"

  I forced a smile as I climbed the few steps onto the stage. I tried to avoid looking at the man, but hell, that was impossible. He was divine.

  "Forgive me for being late," I said to Corrigan as I set down my case, shrugged out of my coat and removed my gloves. "You would not believe the mornin' I've had, even if you'd been there."

  Ripping my skirt was believable enough, but spilling coffee on the one I changed into and watching my servant burn the one after that with the iron was even too much for me. Add on the flat tyre, the road diversion and a heap of frustration, and that summed up my morning.

  "Not to worry, my girl," Corrigan replied, rearranging his glasses on his face. "Join us." I folded my coat over my arm and walked closer to the pair. "Siobhan, I'd like you to meet—"

  "Liam Argyros," the man said first. He didn't reach out to shake my hand and I didn't offer it.

  "Siobhan Law," I replied, unable to tear my gaze away from his eyes. They were just so blue. And his voice. I'd never heard anything like it. So rich and foreign and ripe with authority. He was wearing all black and I'd never seen the color flatter anyone better. It was unfair to women everywhere for a man like this to exist, in the heavens or on Earth.

  "Liam comes to us from Athens, Greece, and recently started here at the university," said Corrigan, with an unusual amount of enthusiasm. The conductor's typically dour disposition was nowhere to be seen, and the other musicians were taking full advantage of it. I noticed several pairs of female eyes turned in our direction and I could only imagine the whispered conversations that were taking place about the gorgeous newcomer.

  "Athens, Greece?" I said. Liam nodded once, that sensual smirk still on his full lips. "How convenient."

  One of Liam's brows rose, not in surprise but amusement. Corrigan chuckled, pretending he actually understood the exchange.

  "Wha' brings you so far from home?" I questioned, making it clear I knew what he was and where he was really from. The Kingdom of Myth, the home of the Greek gods in the clouds.

  "A chang
e of scenery," he replied, robbing me of the pleasure of listening to his intoxicating baritone for longer than a second. I continued to stare. He really was quite tall, and that was something, considering I wasn't exactly short.

  "Liam has joined us and wishes to challenge you for principal," Corrigan said.

  I instantly forgot all about Liam's gorgeous eyes and heady timbre. "Is tha' so?"

  I glared at the immortal, feeling the competitor in me awaken with a jolt. I finally noticed the violin case on the floor at his feet. I willed it to catch on fire and burn until there was nothing left. Of course, this didn't happen.

  "It is," Liam said, his eyes sparkling with suppressed laughter. "Conductor Corrigan has informed me that you are quite the musician, one of the best, in fact. No one has challenged you in two seasons."

  "All true," I said, not even attempting to sound modest.

  "He also said you would most likely prefer to go first. Is this correct?"

  "It certainly is," I snapped, and there was a reason for that. The plan was to play so well that he wouldn't want to come after me. He wouldn't be the first musician who chose to bow out rather than embarrass themselves in front of the entire orchestra by trying to outplay me. Besides, I was the principal, the first chair violin, which also made me 'concertmaster.' I was first in everything, and as Corrigan had said, the best.

  "How should the winner be chosen? By band ballot or conductor's choice?" Liam asked. He looked at me expectantly.

  "Conductor's choice," I said, fighting back a triumphant grin. I was famously hated for being Corrigan's favorite of the band. There was no way he wasn't going to choose me. But Liam didn't need to know that.

  "Do you agree with this?" Corrigan asked Liam.

  "Of course. I want whatever Siobhan wants," he replied, never taking his eyes off of me. I tried not to fidget, but I wasn't used to being ogled. Liam was definitely ogling me.

  Corrigan smiled, clapping his hands together once. "Then it's settled."

  Anxious to escape Liam's intrusive gaze, I retrieved my violin. "I'll jus' need a few moments to prepare."

  "O' course, dear," the conductor said. "Take as much time as you need."

  I glanced once more at Liam, then moved off toward my chair, directly left of the conductor's podium. The chair I'd held onto for the past two years with little problem. The chair I wasn't about to let the immortal take from me. I had no idea what he was doing here, but this chair was mine and I was more than ready to defend it. Not even Aphrodite was going to be able to help him up against me.

  I sat down and went to work preparing my violin for battle without a word to any of the other musicians.

  "Where do they make men like tha', I wonder?" my best girl Victoria Lennon, or Vicky, leaned over the back of the empty chair beside me and said.

  "Greece, apparently," I said.

  "Greece, eh? Tha' explains jus' abou' everythin'. Greek fellas are some of the mos' handsome men alive. And some of the best lovers, I hear."

  "'Ey! I am sittin' here!" her boyfriend and my fellow violinist, Rupert Maguire, exclaimed.

  "And who cares even a little bit abou' tha'?" she said. Rupert just rolled his eyes and continued to rosin his bow. "Tell me he isn' the mos' gorgeous fella you've ever seen, Marie." Marie was my middle name. My family and Vicky were the only ones who ever called me by it.

  After a bit of tuning, I began to rosin my bow as well. "I've seen better."

  "The hell you have." She fanned herself. "He's like a walkin' orgasm. Hell, he looks like he could give an orgasm, an orgasm." Vicky was always this crude and neither Rupert or I wasted our breath trying to reprimand her for it anymore. Deep down, I think Rupert actually found it kind of sexy.

  "Have you ever seen eyes tha' blue, Marie?"

  Never, I thought. I glanced at Liam. Brittain, a cellist and a childhood enemy, had already swooped in to chat him up. She was joined by a few band chits she called friends, and they too seemed utterly taken with Liam. I was more taken by his violin.

  It was a thing of perfection, made of dark wood seasoned just right and bits of plated gold that I knew had to have come from Hephaestus' Forge or from Mount Olympus itself. I believed even the strings were made of gold, they sparkled so beautifully. Either way, it had been expected. A beautiful man like Liam would only play a beautiful instrument. I could only hope his skills didn't live up.

  "Dear lord, he's lookin' at you," Vicky whispered excitedly.

  My eyes moved up from the violin to meet his.

  Liam's gaze did several things at once: Undressed me, teased me, excited me, then scorched me from the inside out.

  It was like Brittain and the others weren't even standing there. His eyes locked in on me and his gaze never wavered in all the seconds we stared at each other. I had his full attention and if I had beckoned to him, I was certain he would have come to me. I didn't like that I was so tempted to try it.

  I finally looked away. "It's an intimidation tactic. He wants to break my focus before the play-off. Ignore him."

  "So tha's wha' the hold up is all abou'," said Vicky, tucking a bit of her curly brown hair behind her ear. "Not tha' I'm complainin'. I love a good play-off."

  "First day and he's already challengin' you for principal, Siobhan?" Rupert asked me.

  "Aye."

  He whistled and leaned up beside Vicky. "Do you think you'll best him out?"

  Vicky elbowed her boyfriend. "O' course she's gonna best him. Marie's the finest string this side of the Channel."

  "I don't know abou' all of tha'," I said humbly, though I grinned with pride.

  She returned the smile and tucked a few loose strands of my blonde hair back into the long braid I wore. "I do. He'll bow out jus' like all the others."

  At least, that's what I hoped.

  I signaled to Corrigan that I was ready a few moments later and he summoned me up to the front. Liam stood off to the side with his lovely violin tucked into the crook of his arm. He didn't say anything as I passed him on my way to the podium, but he did smile. Hell, it almost knocked me sideways, it was so beautiful. Aye, Aphrodite had worked him up nicely.

  Corrigan announced the challenge to the now quiet performers and then gave me the floor.

  I took his place and situated my violin underneath my chin. I glanced at Victoria and Rupert, who both gave me thumbs up and huge smiles, and then I began to play.

  I closed my eyes and let my hands take over. They chose a miniature score that I had written a couple of years back but never played for anyone. I smiled to myself. Though short, it was by far the best score I'd ever written.

  It was a combination of an allegretto vivace, or a lively tempo, and adagio, a slow tempo, and I played it to perfection. I hit every chord and drone. My vibrato was flawless. The score was cheerful and sad, anguished and at peace. All the things I felt all of the time. I never talked about my scores or tried to explain their composition. That would mean having to explain what went on in my real life, away from the orchestra, and I was forbidden to do that. Not only by my parents, but by the Olympians, the twelve most powerful Greek gods.

  I put my entire body into it, letting the melody sweep me off my feet and take me away. When I finished, my band applauded and I headed toward my chair, the one I was sure would still be mine by the end of the play-off.

  "That was beautiful," Liam said, stepping into my path. "Truly, it was."

  "Thank you," I replied, trying to break eye contact but finding it impossible. "Good luck to you in your run."

  I fully expected him to forfeit right then, but he just smiled and said, "Thank you, Siobhan."

  I frowned, then returned to my seat. Vicky and Rupert whispered their compliments as I sat. I smiled at them, but inside, I was sick. Liam hadn't bowed out. This meant he was confident he could outplay me. I bit down on my lip. Hard enough to draw blood, soft enough not to care.

  Liam introduced himself before he played. I glanced around to see Brittain and her chits giggling and wh
ispering to each other as he fed the band his bloody lies about being from Greece and playing in an orchestra there. I caught Victoria's eye once and she licked her lips, winked, and pointed at Liam.

  He wants to dine on you, she mouthed. For every meal.

  I rolled my eyes and turned away from her. If only she knew why that was never going to happen.

  Liam ended his introduction and tucked his violin beneath his chin. Holding his bow in one hand, he began his score pizzicato, which meant he plucked out the first bit of it with his other hand. Though complex and interesting, it wasn't enough to intimidate me and it certainly wasn't enough to win. My confidence rose.

  This went on for a bit, setting up his piece quite nicely, then he finally raised his bow. It touched the strings, eased out a few notes, and that was when I knew I was going to lose principal.

  The melody Liam produced was so rich and haunting that my soul shivered. It seeped into my bones and froze me in place, and all I could do was listen, even as I tried to tune it out. It was beautiful, the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard any instrument make, and I was enthralled.

  I looked around at my band and realized I wasn't the only one.

  I kept my eyes closed when I played. With them open, I could see all of the spectators with their heads close together, sharing their whispered opinions of the performance. Though I was confident in my abilities, it was still nerve-wrecking to know that you were being talked about at that very moment and that any mistakes would only fuel the chatter.

  But that wasn't what was happening now. Every mouth was closed, every ear open. Every eye was on Liam. His eyes were on me.

  I wanted to say his gaze was boastful, that he was relishing the fact that with every note he played he was one chord closer to his prize. I wished I could have said I'd seen malice in his eyes, and that he was only taking my chair because he could. But I would have been lying, as Liam didn't appear to be at all excited that he had already won. This was just what he did. Music was his life, and the skill he displayed right then was testament to that.