Chapter 3

So, that was how this whole thing began. That's how I began this dangerous and slightly deranged quest that I can't even tell my best friends about for fear of them having me committed. Or even worse, freaking them out so badly that they'd never be able to live a normal life. Kinda like me.

"I wouldn't wish that on anyone."I sighed and trudged into the welcoming, artificial cool of one of the millions—no; make that billions—of ABC stores in Waikiki.

I grabbed myself a coke; my thoughts still on the book I'd acquired that horrible day. Not only did I learn how to trace from the Good Book (hey, it's done me a lot of good) but I also learned about the origins of the Gods, the power gods get from sacrifices, and what exactly constitutes a sacrifice. It turned out that not only did the Gods receive strength from direct offerings but also indirectly; from any death resulting from battles fought in the name of gods. Most wars have some kind of tie to the divine, even if it's just plain rage (yes; there's a god of rage). Also, any god in on the deal could share in the power surge.

So, basically it paid off for deities to encourage their followers to fight instead of keeping them safe at home. Why settle for an occasional human sacrifice when you could get it on a mass scale constantly? Most of the gods didn't even have followers anymore so this was their only energy source. With the downfall of the older religions, war became more important, and the Gods had to come up with bigger and better plans to inspire violence. The book didn't tell me that part; the flier I found tucked into the book did:

We will survive!

Learn how to create panic and discord among the humans!

April 20 at 8 pm, Valhalla

Special speakers: Odin and Huitzilopochtli

Potluck to follow. Gods whose names begin with:

A-G bring appetizers or salads

H-L bring main dishes

M-Q bring desserts

R-Z bring drinks

After I had stopped laughing hysterically, I decided to begin my career as a god-killer, or human liberator as I prefer to be called.

I paid the cashier for my drink and left the artificial air behind in exchange for the natural ocean breeze drifting sluggishly across Waikiki Beach. It wasn't a fair trade in my opinion, but the salt air did help to clear out those old memories. I plopped down on a slightly crumbling stone wall and stared out at the Pacific as it battered the golden sand under its frothy fists.

I hated the beach but breaking out of Valhalla can be exhausting, and I needed a breather before I headed home over the Ko'olau mountains. The sound of the ocean can be comforting, and the waves are pretty to look at; even amusing if you catch a tourist trying to learn how to windsurf. However, at that moment, all it did was remind me of how blue Thor's eyes were; deep sapphire with a touch of green, like Caribbean quartz.

I loved light eyes. My own were dark brown and dull. They'd been green when I was born but had changed at nine months. My mom told me that she'd bet a friend they wouldn't change, and she'd lost. Let that be a lesson to all of you ladies; don't tempt fate when it concerns your child.

I shook my head and took another swig of coke; must be the heat melting my brain. At least I wasn't bitching about Buffy anymore.

I rubbed at the ache in my neck as I pondered a new dilemma along with the old one of how to keep sand from getting all over me when I'm at the beach. Was it just me, or had Thor let me go? I mean, he didn't even try to chase me. Yes; I'd laid him low, but it shouldn't have taken him that long to recover. He was a big, strong, creaking-leather clad god. He should have been up almost instantly. I shook my head. Thinking about Thor was only making the ache in my neck intensify so I gave up and turned my full attention to the sand.

I hate sand. It's probably one of my biggest problems with beaches. Don't laugh; I'm also not overly fond of sun or surf. Sand, sun, and surf—the SSS; it ranked right up there with the KKK for me as far as evil acronyms went. For those of you who have never seen a beach, much less a Hawaiian one, let me explain.

Sand sticks to you like an alien fungus that believes you're its only hope of survival. Wet or dry, it will attach itself to any part of your anatomy it can reach, and those cool ocean breezes that everyone loves so much? They are in cahoots with the vicious, alien-fungus sand and will happily fling a fine mist of the powdery annoyance all over you while simultaneously lulling you to sleep with its salt-laced caresses. Result? You wake up hours later to find that not only has your sunblock died defending you, but you're also coated with a thin layer of sand, saltwater, and suntan lotion that has dried to a sticky crust. After you painfully scrape away your new shell, you'll find the red glow of your freshly crisped skin beneath. The beach is evil, I tell you; evil.

So, how could I love my home so much and not adore the pristine glory of the white sand beaches which make Hawaii such a tourist attraction? Well, first of all, I enjoy the beach just fine... through the window of an air-conditioned room while I sipped a Li Hing Mui Margarita. Secondly, there is more to these islands than beaches. There's the incredible weather; where even the rain is warm, and I never have to worry about digging my car out of the snow. There's the rich melting pot of cultures, and of course, there's the food. Nothing compares to the flavors of Hawaii.

I was just about to get up and sample some of those flavors from a nearby Shave Ice truck when a dark shadow passed over me; sending a shiver down my spine. No, the shiver wasn't because of the sudden relief from the sun. It was magic; strong and confident magic—almost cocky. I knew that magic; had, in fact, kicked it in its balls quite recently. I turned my head slowly, muttering a protection spell under my breath while reaching for my stash of powdered mullein.

"That's not necessary, witch,"Thor's previously resonant voice was severely toned down for his foray among the humans.

"I'm nothing if not cautious."I smiled at Thor as if he were an old friend as I jumped to my feet.

My legs itched to run but it wouldn't do any good. The crowds around me were thick with vacationing families and honeymooners. I didn't want to involve innocent bystanders, and I was hoping that he wouldn't either.

"I'm not here to harm you."Thor grimaced.

Thor had taken the time to change his clothes before following me. Maybe he was afraid that the leather lace-up pants of his previous ensemble would have made him stand out on a Hawaiian beach. Instead, Thor wore a pair of khaki pants and a tan, silk, Aloha shirt. He looked like a local businessman on his lunch break; a local businessman with golden-red hair streaming past his shoulders, bone structure that would make a Roman statue weep, and a body that looked as if it spent more time in a gym than a boardroom.

I kind of missed the leather.

"No; you're here to wow me with your literally classic good looks and your modern Hawaiian fashion sense."I looked him over pointedly, just to let him know that I found his outfit amusing. That's it. Really.

"Would you join me at the closest drinking establishment for a cocktail?"His lips didn't so much as twitch even though his eyes sparkled a bit.

"I'm sorry; I think I have sand in my ears."I shook a finger vigorously in my left ear. I wouldn't have put it past the alien-fungus. "I thought for a second there that you asked if you could buy me a drink."

"I did."Thor's smile spread across his face like a cat stretches in the sun; slowly and sensuously as if it had all the time in the world and was fully expecting a good scratch beneath the chin later.

I stood gaping at him for a moment before I tried to recover. "Uh… why?"

Yep, that's me, Lucy Loquacious.

I thought seriously about extending the knives from my gloves. The gloves I wore were part of the loot I'd made off with that day at Ku's. They had 3"long daggers resting inside them—flat against the backs of my hand—and a sharp, downward movement would trigger their release. Then they'd extend over my fingers like lethal claws. I felt like Wolverine when I wore them but, more importantly, they were deadly; turning every punch into a four-way stab.

They were also a little showy for Waikiki Beach.

So was my kodachi which, for the moment, was camouflaged with a slight blurring of magic that made it blend into my leather pants. Maybe I could go for the dagger I kept down my top. The kodachi and dagger were just of human make, but I had embedded them with magic for increased damage potential. The sword was perfect for taking a god's head. The curvature of the blade gave me the extra oomph I needed to make a clean cut, but I wasn't about to behead Thor in the middle of Waikiki. The dagger would probably be the best choice for the situation. Maybe I could throw it at him and run away screaming.

"I'd like to talk to you."Thor's eyes strayed to my cleavage.

I told myself that his perusal had nothing to do with the hidden knife and everything to do with my 36 double Ds. Call me vain, but I'd rather have him checking me out than knowing where my weapons were hidden. Mae West once said that it was better to be looked over than overlooked. Well, I needed Thor to do a little of both; look me over and overlook my knife. It was a survival issue and had nothing to do with him being hot.

I know; I sound full of it even to myself.

"Do I need to bow my head and clasp my hands first?"I backed up slightly and took a quick look around; trying to find a possible escape route.

Thor laughed, wild and vibrant, like drumbeats after midnight. It caused a visceral reaction in me; calling to something primitive in my blood and making me sway toward him. People stopped and turned to look at Thor. Hell, even I ceased scanning the area and just stared at him in shock. The tourists, however, peered at Thor eagerly; as if he were a celebrity they might recognize if they stared long enough. In a way, I guess he was.

"For you, I'll make an exception."Thor reached out a hand, and I tried to back up, but the rock wall brought me up short. His hand dropped, but his smile stayed put as he cajoled, "Just one drink."

"Fine, follow me."