Read Online Goddess of Love by P. C. Cast - Free Book Online Page B

“Excuse me. Sorry. Raw veggies always give me gas.” She heard the hysterical giggle and realized that it was coming from her mouth. Why couldn’t she make it stop? Finally she was able to say with a gasp, “I’ll take my check after I go to the ladies’ room.”
    Keeping her head down, she practically sprinted past the men at the bar and the two gorgeous women. She could feel their eyes on her and she knew her face was, ironically, bright, shining, fire truck red. Escaping to the ladies’ room she darted into a stall and buried her hot face in her hands. It was going to take a lot more studying before she was ready to be undorked by Venus or anyone else.
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    As Hera silently watched Vulcan study the images in his sacred fire, she reminded herself that she should always follow her intuition. Her instincts had told her to check on her son. Quietly. And here he was, seeming to be enchanted by the scene being played out before him. Hera, too, felt herself becoming intrigued as she watched the vision in the fire. The magical thread Vulcan had sent after Venus and Persephone was functioning much as an oracle. It was an opening to another time or place—and in this case—another world. Persephone and Venus could clearly be seen sitting at a table in an opulent eating establishment. As was typical of the goddesses, they were laughing and generally making merry.
    Then, unexpectedly, the focus of the magic thread shifted. Hera decided the girl’s shy giggle must have been what first caught her son’s attention. Then she had to cover her mouth with her hand and stifle her own surprised laughter, which would probably have not been heard over Vulcan’s snort of amusement, as both mother and son noticed the title of the book the mortal was reading.
    â€œ Discover the Goddess Within—Unleash Venus and Open Your Life to Love . Indeed,” Vulcan muttered, voice thick with sarcasm. “It’s always Venus—always she who gets credit for creating love.”
    Hera stayed very still. She’d never heard her son speak of Venus except in terms of kindness and respect, even though all of Olympus knew that their marriage had been a sham from its inception. Rumor said, though she’d not heard the words directly from her son, that Venus and Vulcan had agreed upon a marriage of convenience because joining with the Goddess of Love should have made Vulcan appear more powerful—more Olympian—more accepted by the rest of the gods. And, in turn, joining with the God of Fire gave Venus the excuse she needed when she wanted to absent herself from the constant pursuits of those who longed to possess Love. Hera had always thought the arrangement served Venus much better than it did her son. The Goddess of Love did escape to her husband’s realm in the bowels of Olympus when she was weary, and she reemerged refreshed and invigorated. But being married to Love had not made Vulcan more accepted. That it had been clear from the beginning that it was a marriage of convenience had actually worked against Vulcan. The general opinion of the immortals was haughty disbelief. How could one be married to Love, but remain untouched by her?
    â€œPea?” Vulcan said, and then actually laughed. “What type of name is Pea?”
    Hera just stood there and shook her head silently, continuing to be amazed at her son’s show of interest in the small, ordinary-looking mortal.
    A horrid sound emanating from the oracle flame brought Hera’s attention back to the scene from the modern world. The shy young mortal named Pea had expressed gas! Noisily and messily and in front of everyone! The goddess watched as she fled from the room. How unfortunate for her.
    â€œThey should leave her be! She’s humiliated enough without others making it worse,” Vulcan said with a growl.
    Indeed? Hera thought how interesting it was that her son was showing such interest. The invisible