Warrior Rising Read Online Free PDF

in a tired, broken voice. “They were so young—so vibrant. Their lives were cut off too soon.” As the goddess watched, two glowing golden orbs lifted from the broken bodies of the mortal women. Venus’s eyes widened. “Maybe there is something I can do!” Focusing her power she spoke the command through her oracle.
    â€œAlight with life and love these spirits are—free to begin anew, to travel far. So Love herself commands of you—spirits, come to me to complete the task I would have you do!” Venus threw more power into the oracle and, like a flame drawing the mortals fluttering spirits, the souls of Katrina and Jacqueline lifted immediately to enter the stream of energy the goddess created until, with a sound like a champagne bottle being uncorked, they popped through the marble basin to hover in the air in front of the goddess.
    When she glanced back through her portal she saw the yellow car burst into fierce flame.
    Venus sighed. “Well, darlings, now what are we going to do?”

CHAPTER TWO
    "You did what!” Athena sputtered (unattractively, Venus noted) as she stared wide-eyed at the glowing orbs that held the two mortal spirits.
    â€œWell, I couldn’t just let them die!” Venus said defensively, patting the orb that floated closest to her. “It was just too awful and too soon. They’re both so young.”
    â€œMortals die. Period. You shouldn’t have interfered with what Fate decreed for them,” Athena said.
    â€œOh, please! These are modern mortals. They don’t believe in Fate.”
    Hera rushed into Venus’s oracle chamber. “What has happened? I came as soon as the satyr gave me the emergency message and I—” The goddess broke off as she caught sight of the floating orbs. Her smooth brow wrinkled. “Are those mortal spirits?”
    â€œThey are indeed,” Athena said.
    â€œWell, what ever are they doing here? Are they lost?”
    â€œNo. They are not lost. They are the spirits of two modern mortal women and Venus brought them here.”
    Venus frowned at Athena. “Are you having regular orgasms, Athena? If not, that could be why you’re always so grumpy and judgmental.”
    â€œVenus!” Hera’s voice was sharp, reminding the Goddess of Love that she was in the presence of the Queen of Olympus. “Why are the spirits of modern mortals in this chamber?”
    â€œOne of them”—Venus paused, studied the orbs and finally pointed at the one closest to her—“this one, I think, is the spirit of the mortal woman I have chosen to help us out with our Achilles problem. The other is her best friend.”
    â€œWhich still doesn’t explain why their souls are here in Olympus instead of in their bodies back in the modern mortal world where they belong,” Hera said.
    â€œThey can’t be in their bodies because their bodies are dead,” Athena said. “Actually, burned to nothing but ash.”
    â€œBurned? Dead? But how could you choose a burned-up dead mortal for Achilles?” Hera rubbed her temple with one hand; the other she waved gracefully before her, plucking the goblet of ambrosia out of the air when it appeared and taking a long drink of it.
    â€œIt’s all really very easy to explain,” Venus said, sending Athena a dark look.
    â€œThen explain. Please,” Hera said.
    â€œI chose the mortal woman for Achilles when she was alive. Then there was an accident while she and her friend were leaving a party and, well, they were killed. I simply could not stand it. They were so young and happy. And,” she added pointedly, “Kat was so completely perfect for Achilles.”
    â€œSo you brought their bodiless spirits here?” Hera paused and sighed. “Venus, I understand how easy it is to get attached to mortals, but you didn’t do these women a favor. They should be on their way to the Afterlife that awaits