Magic Mourns Read Online Free PDF Page A

it. But Hades didn’t exactly have shrines. The ancient Greeks were scared to death of him. They averted their faces when sacrificing to Hades. They refused to even say his name. So I’m not sure.”
    â€œThanks.”
    â€œYou sure you don’t need me to come?”
    â€œPositive.”
    â€œCall me if anything.”
    I hung up and looked at Raphael. “Your mother’s mate, what was his name?”
    â€œAlex Doulos.”
    â€œWas he a Greek pagan?”
    A frown twisted Raphael’s face. “I have no idea. It didn’t come up. We had a careful relationship. He didn’t try to be my dad and I didn’t try to be his son. We met at holiday dinners and talked about sports mostly. It was a safe topic. What are you thinking?”
    I shook my head. “I’m trying very hard not to think anything. I’m just collecting data at this point. Did you see the way Fido fell?”
    â€œLike he was on a leash and it ran out.” Raphael drummed a quick rhythm on the dashboard.
    â€œIt probably means he’s somehow bound to a specific area. I think we should go and look at it.”
    â€œI’m game.” Raphael shivered. “I don’t suppose you have any spare clothes?”
    â€œYou should’ve thought of clothes before you decided to go human.”
    The sinful smile was back. “I always dreamt of being naked with you. Couldn’t pass up the chance.”
    I started the Jeep. “Could you get any more full of yourself?”
    â€œI’m mostly interested in getting you full of me.”
    The vision of being full of Raphael zinged through my brain, short-circuiting rational thought. “Come to think of it, there is something on your lips. Why don’t you use that side mirror over there to check it out?”
    He glanced into the side mirror and stared, slack-jawed. His lips were solid black. A thick black line of guy liner outlined his deep-set eyes and a little black tear dripped down his left cheekbone. He touched his cheek, stretching the skin to better examine the tear, his face a flat mask, glanced at me, and exploded with laughter.
    Â 
    I stood atop the Jeep’s hood and slowly swept the vast network of ravines with binoculars. The Jeep itself sat on the edge of a shallow gap, just beyond the spot where Cerberus almost took a bite out of our backseat. Raphael, still gloriously naked, sat in the passenger seat and plucked random Hades-related trivia from the book.
    â€œA fun guy, this Hades. Apparently he bridenapped his wife.”
    â€œThings were much simpler in ancient Greece if you were a god. I’m sure he got himself a harem of mistresses, too.” The wind swirled with Raphael’s scents: the light musk of his sweat, the delicious redolence of his skin ... I was having trouble concentrating.
    â€œNo,” Raphael said, flipping a page. “Actually, Hades didn’t screw around. His wife was the daughter of Demeter, goddess of youth, fertility, and harvest. After Hades stole Persephone, Demeter refused to let the plants grow, starving everyone, and they had to reach a compromise: Persephone spends half of the year with him and half with her mother. The guy only had her for six months out of the year, and he still remained faithful. That must be some sweet sex right there.”
    I took the binoculars down so I could roll my eyes. “Do you ever think of anything but sex?”
    â€œYes, I do. Sometimes I think of waking up next to you. Or making you laugh.”
    I was beginning to regret this.
    â€œOf course, I do occasionally get hungry . . .” he added. “And cold.”
    A white speck caught my eye. I adjusted the binoculars. A house. A two-story colonial, seemingly intact, sitting in the bottom of a ravine. I could only see the roof and a small slice of the upper story.
    Interesting.
    â€œKate was right: the Greeks lived in fear of this guy. Instead of speaking his name, they