Lara tossed her towel into the wicker laundry basket. "I know this may come as a big surprise to you, but I don't want to be chosen."
Miss Forbidden gasped and looked around to make sure they were alone. "You mustn't say that. It's a great honor to serve the gods."
Lara grabbed her arm and pointed at a large green-and-purple bruise. "This is what that god did to you."
The maiden's eyes filled with tears. "I don't remember it," she whispered. "I must have displeased him somehow. May the gods forgive me."
"He abused you." Lara pulled the scarf away from Miss Forbidden's neck to reveal the puncture marks. "He bit you."
With a cry, Miss Forbidden pulled away. "I don't believe you. I can't." She ran away.
Lara took a deep breath, then put on her sandals and followed the girls to the temple. They filed inside and took their places behind the red cushions.
The Chosen One Aquila was announced. She strode into the room and sat on her throne. Lara was relieved that she still looked well. Athena was announced. Her smile looked especially malicious tonight. Not a good sign.
Apollo marched in with his escort of four guards. The maidens bowed before him.
"Tonight we are honored by the presence of a very powerful god." Apollo stepped down from the dais. "He will select one of you to be his Chosen One."
"Yes, My Lord Apollo." The maidens remained still, but Lara could feel their excitement mounting.
Apollo stopped in front of them. "I should warn you that this is one god you must never displease. Your eternal fate will be in his hands. His name is Hades."
The maidens gasped.
Lara winced. This was bad. If Zeus had bruised his Chosen One, what would a vampire called Hades do?
Up on the dais, Athena snickered. Lara's hands curled into fists. That damned bitch enjoyed seeing them scared to death. Vanessa was shaking beside her.
Cook whimpered. She probably feared she was next in line to be chosen.
Footsteps approached them.
"Here comes Hades now," Apollo said.
Lara glanced up and caught a glimpse of short blond hair. She tucked her head back down, not wanting to draw attention to herself. She'd already spent the afternoon cleaning the guards' dormitory and bathroom as a punishment for speaking to the delivery man. Would they give her to Hades as a further punishment?
Apollo chuckled. "Which one of you will attend to the god of the underworld? If he's not pleased, he's threatening to take someone to the nine circles of hell."
Lara flinched. She lifted her head. Could it be? He was dressed in a burgundy silk toga. Those broad shoulders looked familiar, but the short blond hair was strange. He turned toward the maidens, and she gasped.
Jack.
His eyes met hers briefly, then looked away. She ducked her head and bit her lip to keep from grinning. Jack was here to rescue her, to rescue all the girls. She wanted to leap around the room and dance for joy.
"You have some lovely maidens here, Apollo."
His accent was different. Lara recalled that he'd spent his first years in Bohemia, speaking Czech.
"Thank you, Hades," Apollo said with a smug tone. "I believe you will find them very accommodating."
"I had better." Hades strolled around the maidens, who were visibly shaking. He stopped beside Lara. "This one looks interesting. You will stand, maiden."
Lara rose slowly to her feet, keeping her eyes downcast and her face blank.
Apollo sighed. "I would suggest another. This one is new and still untrained. She did not behave well today."
"Then she is perfect for hell," Hades said wryly. "It would please me to teach her a lesson."
"Very well," Apollo said. "Maiden, bare yourself."
Oh shit. She was going to have to pretend to be under his control. "Yes, My Lord Apollo." She reached up to unfasten the brooch on her shoulder.
"Not necessary." Hades waved a dismissive hand. "My mind is made up. This is the one."
Oh thank you, Jack. She would gladly give him a private showing later.
Apollo motioned to a guard. "Bring the red robe."
Vanessa and Kristy helped Lara slide the red gown over her white one. They looked at her with tears in their eyes.
She grabbed their hands and gave them a reassuring squeeze.
The gong sounded. Athena left with two guards, while Apollo escorted his Chosen One Aquila to his room. Hades took Lara's hand and led her around the thrones.
She glanced back and saw the maidens huddled around the entrance doors to the temple, all watching her with worried looks. Poor girls. They really believed she was about to be bedded by the god of the dead. She squeezed Jack's hand. She couldn't wait to be alone with him.
He led her down the hallway. Apollo and Athena were already in their rooms. A guard stood in front of their doors.
Jack stopped by a blue door. "This is a guest room." He opened it and ushered her inside. He turned to lock and bar the door.
She glanced around the room. Big canopy bed. Blue sheets and blue gauzy curtains hanging from the canopy. When Jack turned toward her, she flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Oh, thank you, thank you, you wonderful man. You glorious, incredible man."
He chuckled as he held her tight. "I guess you're glad to see me."
She covered his face with kisses. "I'm thrilled. I'm ecstatic. I knew you would find me."
He took hold of her shoulders and moved her back so he could look her over. "Are you all right? I swear, if they have harmed you in any way, I will-"
"I'm fine." She jumped at him again, circling her arms around his neck and squeezing against him tightly. "I missed you so much. Don't ever let me go."
"I was so worried about you." He pressed a kiss against her brow, then glanced over his shoulder. "We should move away from the door," he whispered.
She hung on to him as he maneuvered them to the center of the room and accidentally trampled on his foot. "Sorry. I'm so glad you found me. I tried to escape, but there were wolves in the woods. And I didn't know where to go, 'cause I don't know where we are."
"Northern Maine."
"Oh. Well, thank God you found us. I think one of the girls is dead."
"Shh." He put a finger on her lips and glanced at the door. "Not so loud. There are guards in the hall."
"They're probably waiting for their turn with Athena," Lara muttered.
Jack glanced at the bed, which filled half the room. "These rooms do seem designed for one purpose."
Lara looked at the bed, then at Jack, and a surge of longing swept through her. She wanted him to know that she'd made up her mind. "Jack." She cradled his face in her hands.
A tint of red shaded his eyes, then he closed them.
"We need to talk." He opened his eyes, and they were back to their usual golden brown color. "I need all the information you can give me, so I can return to the guys and formulate our attack."
Her hands dropped to his chest. "You're not taking me with you?"
He squeezed her shoulders. "Cara mia, I can't. It would look too suspicious. But we plan to attack tomorrow at dusk. You'll only have to stay one more day. Can you do that? Will you be all right?"
"Yes. We're fairly safe during the day. We just cook and clean and do laundry." She glanced down at her red robe. "I was really tempted to wash one of these with the guards' white togas, so they'd end up wearing pink."
Jack chuckled. "I'm so glad you're still you, that they didn't manage to brainwash you."
"Oh, there's some serious brainwashing going on around here." Lara pulled the red robe off and tossed it on the floor. "These poor girls actually believe it's a great honor to be a Chosen One." Her eyes filled with tears. "Thank God you found me before it happened-"
"Shhh." Jack pulled her into his arms. "You're all right now. Cara mia." He kissed the top of her head.
She wanted to tell him that he was her Chosen One. She stepped back. "Jack, I need to tell you-"
"Yes, I need to know everything. We have to come up with an attack plan that will eliminate the vampires here without causing any harm to the mortals."
She groaned inwardly. Hadn't they discussed business long enough? He was here, her knight in shining armor who had charged to the rescue. And she was madly in love with him. Shouldn't they be celebrating? She glanced at the bed. Shouldn't he be ravishing her right now? "You need a plan?"