Aphrodite's Passion Read Online Free PDF

better service. Or a movie’s sold out and you’re wishing the manager would let you in anyway.”
    Zoë grinned. “Well, heck, that sounds better.”
    “What do you mean?” Hale asked.
    “I’ve already got Taylor. But premium seats at a movie sound great.”
    Hale rolled his eyes, continuing with his explanation. “That’s if it’s a
mortal
who’s wearing it. But on a Protector—”
    “Let me guess,” Zoë said. “On a Protector, the effect is even more intense. Love and adoration by everyone—no matter whether or not the wearer desires them. Mind-control, basically. So if Hieronymous got a hold of the thing...”
    “Even Zephron would bend to his will,” Hale finished.
    They looked at each other, then turned to look at Zephron, who inclined his head in silent agreement.
    Wow
, squeaked Elmer.
This just keeps getting better and better
. Most ferrets hadn’t mastered sarcasm. Elmer had it down pat.
    “No kidding,” Hale said.
    “So where is it?” Zoë asked. “I mean, where in Los Angeles?”
    “We don’t know.” Zephron’s image turned, focusing entirely on Hale. “It is your job to find out.”
    “No prob—”
    “Uh, question.” Hale’s sister pressed her lips together, clearly sorry for interrupting, but not sorry enough to wait.
    “Yes, young Zoë?” Zephron looked at her, his eyes warm and grandfatherly. Hale bit back a smile. His little sister had certainly wormed her way into the heart of the usually stern High Elder.
    “I realize I’m still new, but... well... how’d it get away the first time?”
    Zephron’s face tightened, his expression more serious than Hale could ever remember seeing. “It was missing for a long time during the silent-film era. Then, a young actress named Tahlula Tannin acquired the belt. We still don’t know how. When we became aware that she had it, the Council’s inner circle rallied to recover it. Our mission failed.”
    “Why?” Zoë asked the question on Hale’s tongue.
    “At the time, the inner circle consisted of my father and your grandfather.”
    “Oh.” That pretty much said it all. Their Grandfather Hector had sired both Donis and Hieronymous. Zoë and Hale’s dad took after his mother, whereas Hieronymous was more like his father. Not exactly the most upstanding Protector ever.
    “So Grandfather Hector stole the belt from this Tahlula person?” Hale asked.
    Zephron shook his head. “I almost wish he had. The belt is protected by Aphrodite’s magic. We don’t know all the rules, but we do know that no Protector can take it from a mortal. It must be given to him freely by whatever mortal has possession of it. If not, the Protector who steals it loses his powers forever.”
    “Wow,” Zoë said.
    “Precisely,” Zephron agreed. “Our problem lay within a power struggle between my father and your grandfather. Each tried to acquire the belt. They wined and dined Ms. Tannin, seeking to persuade her to make a gift of the belt, but to no avail. Your grandfather did manage to acquire the stone centerpiece before it was lost again—that is another story—but the woman would not give up the girdle itself. My father visited her in a final effort to persuade her, but by the time he arrived the belt was gone. She wouldn’t say where she had taken it, but there was never any indication again that the woman had it in her possession. Despite our surveillance.”
    “And it’s never been located since?” Hale asked.
    “Never.”
    “We failed?” Zoë sounded vaguely disappointed.
    “I’m afraid it does happen, child. If every mission were successful, we would not be so concerned about Hieronymous’s efforts to rally all Outcasts.”
    Zoë nodded, but didn’t look too happy. “How can you know it’s in Los Angeles but not know where exactly? For that matter, what do you mean when you say you ‘became aware’ this Tahlula woman had it?”
    Zephron beamed as if at a prize pupil. “An excellent question, my dear.” He turned to