Phobos felt uncomfortable as he walked into the Acme Oyster House on a Friday night. He was still not entirely used to spending so much time in the mortal world. But, Jenna was family and his brother was spending as much time here with her as he could. So, it was what it was.
At least at restaurants and such, the serving staff tended to suck up their feelings of fear and just do their jobs. Other patrons dealt with it in order to have their own meals uninterrupted. Still he felt their fears. Most of the time, he enjoyed it to some extent. Yet, lately, not as much. He did not want everyone to be scared of him all the time. It was not like any of the humans in the restaurant really had a reason to fear him. He was not sent to kill humans often, at least not outside of war.
As he sat down, he started to think about the one woman that he really wished would not be scared of him. Stephanie.
It was such a shock to see her in the house with Jenna a few days earlier. To learn that she would be spending more time around Jenna and the family. In one moment, he was ecstatic at the chance to get to know her more, and in the next he was terrified that she would run screaming for the hills if she got to know him.
Why did she affect him so? Just the thought of her made his mouth water and his body ache. He had even started to crave apples over the last two weeks because they reminded him of the scent of her. Even now, he could smell her shampoo on the air.
"Phobos? What are you doing here?"
Oh, shit. Stef was really there.
"Oh, uh. Just waiting for Deimos and Jenna. What about you?"
"Waiting for Essie." Then Stef's phone buzzed. Stef grimaced. "I have an uneasy feeling about this. Essie just said that she is running late and that I should sit with you and your brother."
"If you don't want to sit with us, I understand. I will let you sit at the table and go wait outside." Phobos stood to give her his chair.
Stef reached and put her hand on his arm to stop him. Phobos's body flooded with heat at the feeling of her hand against his skin. She was so soft. So warm. His head spun as he envisioned the feel of her against his naked body.
"Please sit down. I am sure we can be adults about this." Stef finally spoke. She had to fight to get the words out as her body reacted to the warmth of Phobos's body. His arm was so hard, the strength of it sent her mind careening downward as she thought of how those arms would feel wrapped around her. Why did he affect her like this? In the last ten years, she had only dated one man and he just seemed sweet. Boy was that a mistake times a hundred. But, there had just never been someone that made her body sizzle the way Phobos did.
Phobos shook his head. Focus. She is just being polite. "You did not sound happy at the idea. I don't want to make you uneasy."
Stef looked up at him. She fought to focus and rouse her thoughts back to the present. She tilted her head so that she could meet his gaze, straight into his gorgeous blue eyes. "My uneasy feeling has to do with Essie and her intentions. Not with you."
OK, that was only a partial truth. Her statement earlier had been about Essie, entirely. But, damn the man did make her feel very uneasy. It was almost primal. His power, his intimidation, his raw sexual appeal.
Taking a deep breath, Stef moved to a chair across from Phobos. And they started to talk. More like trip over themselves in attempts at having a conversation.
"So… Phobos is a unique name. Where is it from?"
Phobos was uncomfortable talking about himself. How much could he say before he would scare her? "It is Greek. It means frightening." He couldn't stop himself from being honest. Damn it.
Stef's eyebrows lifted. Was he serious about the meaning? Is it some kind of nickname or something? "You are Greek? Is that where your accent is from?" And oh how she loved his accent. She could curl up and listen to him recite math text books for hours.
He nodded. Why does she want to know about him? He was confused. People ran away, they did not stop and ask questions. And, he could still sense her unease.
"And what do you do for a living?"
Phobos almost looked panic stricken. "I am in law enforcement." He squeezed out. It was the closest that he could come up with for what the Dolophoni do. He couldn't really say that he was an assassin.
"Oh, God. I have always loved a man in uniform." Stef blushed so furiously when she realized she said that out loud, that she looked down at her lap.
"I don't wear a uniform really. We just tend to wear a lot of black. Besides, I don't think my hair would be regulation."
No, the red stripes in his hair were more bad boy meets rock band than protect and serve. Stef blushed even more. "I didn't mean to offend you."
Phobos chuckled. She really was adorable when she blushed. It made him want to see how she would look with mottled cheeks after sex. Or better yet, make her blush after sex. Ohhh, there is a thought.
Trying to clear his head from the images and thoughts that would get him into trouble, "You did not offend me. It is simply the truth."
Phobos tried to call Deimos. His brother needed to get there fast before he seriously screwed things up. Or worse, he tried to screw Stef. He was not sure he could control himself around her for long.
Deimos didn't answer. Instead he texted back to say that he and Jenna were running late, to start without them. Phobos scowled at the phone.
"Let me guess." Stef said. "They are running late?"
"Yes. How did you know?"
She grabbed his phone from his hand and looked at the message. "Because I think that everyone set us up."
Phobos's features darkened. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, that it appears your brother, sister-in-law, and my supposed friend set us up on a date." Stef replied.
"A date?" Phobos was shocked.
Stef glared at him. "I see. So, if the idea of a date with me is that shocking. I will just…" She started to grab her purse.
Phobos reached out to stop her. "I didn't mean it like that. I have just never been on a date before."
"Never?"
He shook his head.
He couldn't be serious, could he? There was no way that Phobos was a virgin. He is too damn gorgeous and delectable. So, what? He is just a 'wham, bam, thank you ma'am' kind of guy?
"Unbelievable! So, what are women to you? Just fun and games to leave on the side of the road?" Stef's anger was mounting fast as she started to yell at him in the middle of the restaurant. "What kind of women do you surround yourself with that you have never taken one out on a date?"
Phobos was confused by her emotions, embarrassed by the scene that they were now making, and seriously pissed off at his brother for the set up.
He spoke through clenched teeth. "No. You read too much into things. I don't know what kind of past you have. But, I am definitely not the man you think I am." With that, he stormed out of the restaurant and headed down the street to find a dark alley where he could use his powers to flash out of the mortal world from.
Stef was frozen as she realized what she had done. She had dumped her fears on him without giving him a chance to explain. What was wrong with her?
She grabbed her stuff and ran down the street after him.
As she caught up to Phobos, she pulled at his arm to apologize. But, before she could say anything, he pushed her against the wall and kissed her with an intensity that she had only seen in movies. She melted under his passion. Her head swam as the spicy masculine scent of him assaulted her senses. His tongue swept across her lips and her teeth to taste her own. He felt so good that she never wanted him to stop.
He moaned at how good she tasted, the feel of her lips against his. His hands reached up to cup her face and feel the fat curls of her hair wrap around his fingers. In all of Olympus, he had never experienced anything more divine.
Stef was reveling in every second of the very public moment of intimacy. All she wanted was to find a private place where she could strip off his clothes and explore every inch of the hard, muscled body that she felt pressed against hers. Especially the obviously swollen piece of male anatomy that was pressed against her hip.
She whimpered when he finally pulled away from her lips. The look in his eyes showed an intense sadness.
Phobos knew that he could not allow things to continue any further with Stef. He knew that she would never understand him or his life, nor would she have the strength to face his enemies if they came after her.
"Stephanie. You are a passionate, delicate, and beautiful woman. I never thought of you as a game. Something about you makes me want to play with you, not want to hurt you. But, I can't seem to control myself around you. I am sorry that I could not stop myself from kissing you." He took a deep breath. "You deserve a better man than me. One that does not remind you of your past. One that can court you with confidence and raise children with you the way you want. Mostly, one that does not scare you. My life is too full of violence for a rose such as yourself." Then he turned to leave once again.
He stopped as he heard her muffle a soft sob. Before he could stop himself, he returned to her. "Please don't cry." He pulled her into his arms and brushed the tears from her cheek. He could feel her tremble as emotional pain raked through her body.
Stef couldn't stop them. The tears just rolled. How could she not be hurt? He played her like a yo-yo, gave her the most incredible kiss of her life and then rejected her! Sweet words don't change the meaning. He was just like everyone else, seriously fucked up with no respect for women. All of the emotions over her life and problems all poured out as he broke the dam on her fragile control. She just couldn't hold back anymore. Damn him for hurting her. Damn herself for letting him.
But, even as she was angry at him, she was so overwhelmed by everything that she could not pull away from him. His arms were so comforting. Why won't her body listen and just slap the asshole and storm away? But, she couldn't. She clung on to him like a fool.
Phobos didn't know what to do. How could he stop her from crying? He couldn't promise that it would be OK, or that he would stay. Damn, he really was a dick. He actually treated her the way that she had accused him of earlier, like she was a game. It wasn't how he felt, but how could she know that? And knowing that he caused her this pain brought him a pain in his chest that he had never felt before. How do men survive relationships if it hurts this much?
He scooped her up into his arms and carried her over to a bench down the street. He sat down with her in his lap and he rocked her until she stopped crying.
After several minutes, Stef took a ragged breath when she finally realized that he still held her. "I am so sorry. I shouldn't have let you…" She looked around, not sure how to finish her thought or what to do next. She stood up and looked for her purse, which Phobos handed her. "I will tell Essie that I can't help with Jenna as a client. I don't want to add any tension to your family." Her eyes were so lost.
Phobos's heart broke at the thought of never seeing her again. But, he had to let her go. "Can I call you a cab at least?"
"No. I think that you have done enough." Stef turned and stormed away quickly, afraid that she would start to cry all over again.
Phobos watched her go as he fought his own tears that were pricking the back of his eyes. What in the hell was wrong with him? He wanted her like he had never wanted a woman before, and he was breaking her heart to push her away. He must have been dropped on his head as a baby. No. This was for the best. It was the safest option for her. And it would be easier now before he loses all control and gives her more of a reason to hate him.
Stef barely got 40 feet away before she ran into two men. Literally. She was so distracted in her emotions that she plowed right into the shorter of the two.
But, they weren't just men. Phobos recognized their power. Both were just over 6 feet in height with dirty blond hair and blue eyes. He had not seen demons like these in centuries. What were they doing in New Orleans?
Phobos could hear her mumble an apology as she looked up and froze. He could sense the overwhelming fear that radiated from her. Did Stef know them?
The second man looked at her. "Jessica?"
Stef dropped her purse and ran as fast as she could. Phobos quickly flashed her bag to his room for safekeeping while he ran after the two men that were following Stef.
Phobos caught up as the two demons cornered Stef in a church courtyard.
"Well now, look what we have here. Kol has been looking for you everywhere. Why did you run Jess?" The shorter demon pressed as he reached for her. Stef backed up quickly as he managed to get ahold of her necklace and it broke.
Stef was terrified, desperately looking around for anyway out. "You know why, Bard. You can't make me go back. I won't. I would rather slit my wrists and die than marry Kol."
Phobos joined in. "I suggest you listen to the lady and leave or I'll have to kill you. And I am wearing my favorite boots today. I would hate to scuff them up."
"You smell of Olympus." The taller demon scowled. "You can't touch those outside of your pantheon. This is none of your business."
"See that is where you are wrong. She is a part of my pantheon, and she carries my scent all over her. So, she is under my protection." Phobos needed to get Stef out of there fast. It was too public as people in the church could see them out of the window. That meant that he could not kill the demons either. He wasn't even sure a fight wouldn't draw too much attention.
Stef was crumbling in fear as she faced the three of them. What were they all talking about? Pantheons, protection, what the hell? Did Phobos know them?
Phobos extended his hand for her to grab, but she was not sure what to think. She didn't know if she should trust him.
Growling, Phobos barrelled toward her, threw Stef over his shoulder and then took off at a dead run down the street to a more secluded alleyway. Stef started to scream and kick as her fears got the better of her. So, he reached up and smacked her on the ass.
"Quiet down so that I can get us out of here."
Without another good option, Phobos found a back doorway that was enclosed enough that he could flash to his bedroom without the demons following them.