Skin of a Goddess (Goddess Ascension Book 1)
Read Skin of a Goddess (Goddess Ascension Book 1) Online
Authors: Victoria C. Johnson
Skin of a Goddess
Goddess Ascension Series
by
Victoria C. Johnson
License Notes
Copyright © 2016 Victoria C. Johnson
Cover Art by
Deranged Doctor Design
Formatting by
Deranged Doctor Design
All rights reserved
ISBN 978-0-9973433-1-1
Amazon edition
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events in this book are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places, or persons living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Thank you to my family for providing me the support needed to follow my dreams. You make me stronger, better, and braver. A special thanks to my husband for being my first reader. I love you!
Table of Contents
In a reality carefully tucked away from Earth, the high Olympians meet …
“Do we really know what we’re doing, sending them out as our representatives to the world? They’re certain to cause a catastrophe, as per the usual,” Artemis questions.
“I trust my sister Enyo to lead them in the right direction,” Ares adds with unnerving confidence, daring anyone to disagree.
“There’s also my daughter Peitho” Aphrodite says. “She’s a chip off the old block. I’m sure she won’t let us down.”
Apollo snorts. “Who says that’s a good thing?”
“Enough; let’s take a look at them on their first assignment,” Zeus suggests. At the head of the conference room, the television turns on and begins to play …
***
“Everyone got their toga on?” I ask, wiggling down the aisle of our private jet. “Assemble for inspection!”
My fellow travel companions stop what they’re doing to pose. I walk down the line, making sure they’re all suitably dressed in slightly see-through white togas and Roman crowns.
Apate grins wickedly, saying, “Peitho, we’re about to land, and Aergia still isn’t ready.”
I look at the line and count again. Damn, only six of them. “Where is she?”
Frantic searching ensues.
“Aergia’s in the luggage compartment, over here!” Lyssa shouts triumphantly.
Lyssa and Apate hold her as Ana rips the nightgown off her body before tossing the offending garment to the side. Enyo pulls the toga over Aergia’s head and yanks it into place. I produce a little gold circlet to slam onto her head. Lazy little Aergia almost sleeps through the entire process.
“We will be landing shortly,” we’re warned, and take our seats accordingly.
“They’ve sent two people to greet us,” Apate says with a grin, pointing at where two tall men are rushing across the field toward us.
“What do you think they are?” Ana asks, tilting her head at them appraisingly.
“I have no clue. There are all types of shape shifters at this event,” I say with excitement. “It’s sure to be crazy.”
“They’re almost here! Come on, everyone exit in single file. Make a good impression, people,” Nemesis says before straightening her shoulders, plastering a fake smile on her face, and walking out of the plane.
The men’s eyes get collectively larger as we near them. The older of the two, with brown eyes and unkempt brown hair, jumps forward as if to shake our hands. He then thinks better of it and lets his arm fall. “Hello, Ladies, I’m Nate. I’m the director of this year’s shifter convention. I can’t tell you what an honor it is to have you join us.”
He nudges the other man, who’s just been staring at us, wide-eyed. He jumps a little before saying, “I’m Harold, the owner of the hotel where the convention is being held. It’s great to meet you.”
“It’s nice to be here. If you could show us where we’ll be staying?” Nemesis politely orders.
Nate looks a little confused. “Certainly, certainly. If you could … tell us who you are? Persephone? Nyx? Hera?”
We all look at him with some annoyance, and he takes an involuntary step back.
“Of course, we’re a bit less well known. I’m Nemesis, and this is Enyo, Lyssa, Dysnomia, Anaideia, Apate, Peitho, and Aergia,” Nemesis points us each out as she introduces us.
“Right, but—” Harold starts.
Dys holds up a hand and warns, “If you don’t know who we are, look us up.”
He gulps and nods.
“So, what are you?” I ask.
They both turn to me in confusion.
“What are you guys?” I try again.
“Do you mean … what kind of shifter are we? We’re both werewolves,” Nate offers.
“Peitho, how rude!” Apate mocks. “I’m sorry, men, we just can’t force manners into her. Be sure, later tonight, I’ll give her a good spanking just for you!”
The girls all grin, while the men look more puzzled and uneasy.
“Boys, the bags aren’t going to carry themselves,” Ana points out, and they spring into action.
As they gather our luggage, we turn to one another.
“What do you think they’ll do when they learn we’re retribution, war, mad rage, lawlessness, shamelessness, deceit, persuasion, and sloth?” Dys asks.
“You mean the outcasts of goddessdom? Who cares? This is going to be fun.” I grin.
***
“What have we done?” Hera sighs. “They are going to torture those poor mortals, embarrass us, and be of no help to anyone. They shouldn’t be our advocates to the mortal world. If we hurry now, we can stop them before anything disastrous happens.”
“We will give them a chance and see how they do. Let’s see if they finally step up to their rightful place after these thousands of years,” Zeus says.
“Right, as if that will happen,” Aphrodite says. “I love Peitho, but neither she nor any of her friends will ever grow up.”
“I knew this was a bad idea,” Artemis says.
Zeus smiles. “They are full of surprises.”
“I’m not entirely sure why you’re coming to me with this problem,” I say, looking at the wolf shifter.
“Well, I just thought since you’re the goddess of seduction …”
“That I’d know all about rashes in your special, happy place?” I ask in blatant disbelief.
“Um, yeah?”
“I’m immune to diseases,” I point out.
“Well, isn’t it in your job description to know about these kinds of things?” she asks.
“Isn’t it up to you to know about infectious diseases if you’re going to act like a bitch in heat?” I shoot at her.
She growls. “Bitch in heat?”
My eyes flash. Not my normal lusty kind of flashing, but with anger. Usually I’m all fun-loving and easy-breezy. That doesn’t mean I’ll take shit from a mangy wolf.
“I suggest you back off,” I say in a low voice, stepping up to her as only another predator can.
Her eyes shift and fall to the floor in submission. “Maybe I’ll just go …”
“Yeah, you do that,” I mutter, slamming the door in her face.
“Who was that?” Apate asks, coming up behind me. She’s wearing a light pink tank top and jeans, and her hair is still wet from her shower.
“Why does everyone think I’m a prostitute?” I whine.
“Well, being the daimon of persuasion and seduction certainly does help.”
Apate blinks innocently at me, which in itself is disturbing. It figures that the daimon of deceit would look like an angel. She has long, honey-blonde hair, big brown eyes, rosy, tanned skin, and two dimples to match the look. She’s even petite and unthreatening.
“Forget it, we have to get moving. Didn’t you see the schedule? We’re supposed to be down there for breakfast. Everyone else is already gone,” I tell her.
“Huh, everyone? Even Aergia?” she asks, mentioning our daimon friend of sloth and laziness.
“Even her. Nemesis got Aergia up and around a full half hour before the breakfast was even supposed to start. If we don’t get there soon …”
“Right, we don’t need another lecture from Nemesis.” She shudders.
It only takes us a moment to get to the main dining area of the hotel.
“You’re late!” Anaideia grins at us. She’s a tiny thing with long black-red hair and golden eyes.
There are eight of us minor goddess/daimons here at the shape shifter convention. We’re representatives from Olympus. Shifters, being mortal immortals, tend to be in awe of us true immortals. That is, until the silly gods send minors like us out to play. The eight of us girls have been together for centuries as roommates, traveling companions, and partners in crime. Literally. I tend to get along with Apate and Anaideia the best.
Being daimons gives us certain benefits. For one thing, we can’t really be killed. I suppose if one of the big bad Olympians tried to take us out, we might die. Still, since we’re personifications, we’ve been around forever and can’t die as far as I know. We can still be injured and feel pain, but we heal quickly. Mortal immortals, like shape shifters, sirens, that sort of thing, can be killed. Otherwise, they have the capacity to live forever.
Most of the time, being the daimon of persuasion/seduction has its perks. My two best buds follow close behind. Apate is the personification of deceit, and Anaideia is ruthlessness, shamelessness, and unforgiveness. Compared to some of the others, who are lawlessness, mad rage, and war, we’re who you want on your side. These days, I go by “minor goddess” or just plain “goddess,” since so many people in the mortal world confuse daimon with demon.
“It’s all Peitho’s fault we’re late.” Apate grins at Ana.
“Well, we know what that means,” Aergia says lazily.
“Yep, it was all Apate,” Ana chimes in with a giggle.
All of us daimons have a table to ourselves, though there’s a few empty chairs at it. Last night at the mixer the shifters found out who and what we are. They weren’t overly pleased with their immortal guests, though there’s not much they can do about it. I don’t know what they were thinking, that Zeus would hop his tight ass off his throne for the occasion? Unlikely.
Olivia walks over to our table and starts asking Nemesis, our leader, how we’re doing. Olivia is married to Harold and co-owner of the hotel we’re staying at.
“How are you all doing today, Ladies? Is the room suiting you well?” She moves on to our side of the table.
I can’t blame her for looking slightly skeptical as she asks. We did make a bit of a racket when we found out we were all booked in separate rooms. Some of them were not even on the same floor. We’re roommates. Even in our assorted homes, if we can’t get one with enough rooms, we do construction or double up. Therefore, we demanded different accommodations. Now we have an apartment setup with three rooms and a pullout couch.
“It’s much better for us, thank you,” I say with a small smile.
“I think I’ve heard of you from one of my sisters. You’re Peitho, right?” Olivia’s eyes widen slightly as she looks at me.
I nod silently in agreement, watching her intently. Depending on who’s talked about me, it’s a toss-up if what she’s heard is good or bad. Not too surprising, I make just as many enemies as I do friends. At least I pretty much always have fun doing it.
“Yes, then you must be the same one! I don’t imagine there are many women who look like you. It was my sister Lindsey; do you remember her?” Olivia babbles excitedly.
My eyes widen, and I can now see the resemblance.
“I do know her! I can see it now; you two have the same eyes. I met her on my vacation in Rome. It was one of my trips without the others.”
“She loved bragging to me how she was friends with a goddess.” Olivia grins, showing little fangs.
“I think we got out of touch a good fifty years or so ago.” I return her grin. “I can’t say I’ve known many harpies.”
“That sounds about right.” Olivia nods. “She joined a tribe of Amazons and has been living it up ever since.”
“Well, the next time you talk to her, be sure to tell her hello from me.”
Olivia smiles, then looks a little embarrassed. “Sure thing, but … she told me about this thing you can do. This look that makes every person in the room, who’s so inclined, think about you. Is it magic?”
“It’s part of my power. Do you want to see it?” I ask.
“Sure, if you want.”
I smile, and this time it’s a lusty one. I can turn on the good ole charm at any given time. I let heat fill my red-amber eyes, making them glow softly. I look up at Olivia, gazing through my long, black lashes. Her first look in response is warm with lust, then surprise at her own reaction. I very deliberately lick my red, cupid’s bow mouth and watch her eyes follow the movement.
The power of making someone, who wouldn’t otherwise be interested, lust after me starts to form a warm pit in my belly. There’s nothing more intoxicating than knowing you’re in control. It’s the kind of feeling that someone like me, and the rest of the girls, generally try to avoid. It’s so hard to go mainstream without allowing ourselves to become enamored by our own capacity to sin.
I look away and concentrate on dampening the power. I let the glow fade from my eyes, and intentions no longer follow the hum of desire. I glance around the room to see many males and some females look at us in total fascination. When I turn on my gifts, I draw others to me like bees to honey. Being pure seduction and persuasion, I would be disappointed with anything less.
“Wow, it really is irresistible,” Olivia says, looking around dazedly, as if waking from a daydream.
“Yep, pretty much.” A shiver rushes up my spine at the promise of possibilities.
“Very interesting.” She smiles. “Thank you for indulging me. I didn’t think it was possible.”
As she walks off, Apate looks at me with slight affection. “Unfortunately, all of the interested boys and girls will be after you, what with that little display.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
Before she can retort, the director of the convention, Nate, steps to the front of the room with purpose. “Hello, everyone! I hope you had a restful first night here, because a lot will be going on today. Please join your scheduled groups to take part in the activities you have signed up for. The group getting a tour of the castle is meeting in front of the main staircase; the group going into town is meeting in front of the castle; the horseback riding group at the left of the room is to be taken to the stables …”
Apate and I go to our selected area of the room.
“Yum, who is that at two o’clock?” Apate whispers lightly in my ear as we watch others start to amble over to us.
I look in that direction and immediately see who she means. He’s walking slowly over to where we are. He has dirty-blond hair, and even from here, I can tell he has bright blue eyes. It’s more his body, though, and easy smile. His relaxed nature and uncomplicated air make him irresistible.
“Mine,” I say quickly.
Apate glares at me in exasperation. “How many guys do you get to call? Not that I want him, I don’t do the blond/blue-eyed look, but still! He’s almost worth ignoring that part.”
“I said it first.” I laugh, waiting for everyone to gather.
We stand together quietly, others moving carefully near us without being too close. Some shifters have no understanding of personal space because they’re pack animals and used to being close with others. Then there are shifters who know instantly where the boundaries lie because they are loners and can sense when others are too close. We are an odd mix of both. I don’t mind being close to my “pack”— the other girls—but everyone else? I’m skeptical at first.
“Hey, everyone! I’m Austin. Are all of you here to go horseback riding?” asks a man wearing the hotel staff uniform.
“I’m going to do a quick name call to make sure we have everyone. When I say you’re name, if you could answer back, that would be great,” he says with an easy smile. “Addy, Apate, Avery, Beth, Colton, Eve, Hunter, Julian, Lillian, Olly, Peitho, Tristan, and Vincent. Great, you’re all here! I was thinking before we get started, we could go around in a group and tell each other a little about ourselves, including what kind of shifter or supe we all are. I’ll start. As I said, I’m Austin, and I’m a werewolf. I’ve been working here at the castle for about twenty years now.”
“Hey, everyone. I’m Vincent, and I’m actually a human. I was sent as a representative for the vampires. I’d like to thank you all for being so welcoming,” a tall man with dark hair says from across the group. Despite being a walking blood bank, he appears to be very vital.
I’ve never really gotten that whole vampire attraction. The few I’ve met have been rather boring. They’re all shady and very private. It’s hard to have fun when they’re constantly giving you suspicious looks and glancing around the room for a threat. Needless to say, they don’t socialize with the rest of us much.
“Glad you like the gathering.” Austin nods at him approvingly.
Apate raises her hand to go next. “Hello, everyone! I’m Apate, the goddess of serenity. Hopefully I’ll be able to help out a lot with the many different personalities and creatures.”
I can’t help but laugh.
“She’s the daimon Apate and embodies deceit,” I correct.
Austin looks at us calmly, though not amused. “Thank you for that. Now, who are you really?”
“I’m serious. We’re part of the group of immortal representatives here,” I say with a slight frown.
“It’s true. I know them,” a clear feminine voice says from behind me.
“Addy! Oh, and there’s Eve. I didn’t know you two would be here.”
“Hey, Peitho, I didn’t know you’d be here either! We arrived this morning,” Eve says with a smile, her voice the sound of tinkling bells.
Addy is a nymph, a dryad with long brown hair, pointed ears just peeking out, green eyes, and a body most can only imagine. Eve, her best friend, is a siren. She has long blonde hair and light violet eyes, enchanting men wherever she turns. I was with them about a century ago. I traveled to the Siren Kingdom in Australia. Addy was already living there by then, in the surrounding forest. Being the daimon of seduction, I get along with sirens and mermen well.
Austin clears his throat meaningfully, trying to regain control of our group. “Excuse me, then, for not believing you. If we could continue with the introductions, Ladies.”
“Sure, I’m Addy and I’m a nymph. I’ve been around for a while, but for the past century and a half I’ve been living in Australia. There’s great wildlife there.”
“I’m Eve. I’m here as a representative with my brother, Julian,” she says, nodding her head in his direction. “I’m a siren and am working as an ambassador for the king.”
“I’m Peitho, another representative from the immortals. I’m the daimon of persuasion.”
Others start talking, and Apate leans over to me. “You sure do know a lot of the people here. I didn’t even realize Eve had a brother until now.”
“What can I say? I get around.” I shrug.
It seems that they’ve placed all the various misfit creatures in this group. As a shifter convention, most people here are obviously shifters. However, many issues come up that involve other supernaturals. For years now, other species have sent ambassadors to assist with relationships between each other. Usually, if one species is absent in a gathering like this, when the complaining ensues, like it always does, guess who gets the blame? There’s no funding for cover-ups when one of us is spotted by a human? Clearly the witches’ fault, and coincidentally, they were unable to make it here to defend themselves. It’s all about the politics.