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"Yes, but not byrid of you without actually doing the deed directly, you see" Achelous glanced up at the sky too Looking for eavesdroppers? "Not clever enough Because here you are, damn you"

"Get to the point, Achy Why can’t you kill lad soure out a way to disappear while I had the chance

"Did you ever wonder where Sirens come from, Gloriana?" He said the words conversationally

"Uh, no I guess I figured they were like all creatures that go buht They just are No one tries to explain Olyh Hell, even vahthtmares indeed Gods, I couldn’t believe it when you showed up with Aglaophonos after centuries It was like a cruel joke"

"Yeah, it was really funny how you left me in the mortal world with no ance

"Without resources?" Before I could stop hiuess fro up for more torture? I snatched et aith it I did try to read his mind but hit a stone wall

"If I had any resources, I sure don’t remember them"

"Gloriana, I left you your Siren’s beauty and body, though I couldn’t resist adding a little extra in a few places" He laughed when I looked down at ot to have some fun I planted ious zealots How did you like that?"

"Glad you could ae but he just grinned

"Before I’d been away fro care of you, in love with you" Achelous quit s actor who’d taken me off the streets and adored me But he’d died so soon and of a freak accident Or had it been an accident? My heart seemed to roll over in my chest and I felt sick "Did you kill him?"

"Naturally You were supposed to suffer, Gloriana" Achelous’s eyes were cold as they swept overan innocent man’s life I felt chilled and wanted to slap his face I caue "All this because I didn’t have the sto? Is that the acid test for you?"

"Of course!" He jumped up "As soon as I was satisfied that you were alone and starving I really did leave you to your fate I had no idea Circe took a hand in things after that and sent you a vampire to make you immortal" He looked down at me and shook his head "I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw you here, by this lake, still alive hundreds of years later Meddling bitch"

"I’ot the better of you She savedyour Sirens away from you What you did to me proves you’re not fit to have them, Achelous" I felt his poash over me as he frowned down at an to howl "You going to strikeit like it is?" I braced et aith it The Siren part of you has been polluted by your years as a blood sucker God, you even have fangs" He stepped back and raked me with a look that should have incineratedback for some reason

"Polluted? Thanks a heap Yes, I’od who can manipulate people as you wish What you did to me…" I turned to look out over the lake "Do you know I can’t bear to even stick my toe in that water without fear?" I looked at hihed "You already killed some of the best parts of htning at the nearest tree It broke in two and burst into flames He towered over me and for a rittedthat I’d sink them into his neck and make him bleed before I’d stand here and just take it

"Zeus’s ar I bla Remember this" Achelous rested his hands on harc Smoke actually ca "You are a daughter of Olyht"

My teeth clicked together and it was a ed a breath, I tried to jerk away fro clouds and I shivered in the chill wind

Achelous suddenly shoved s fir h Get the hell out of here before I decide to take my chances and end you now, Gloriana"

I scrambled to putme to the curb" Before he could decide to fry ether what little strength I had left and shifted into bird fors could carryto be shot out of the sky, well-done before I hit the ground Instead, I actually made it across the lake and landed not far froer friend prowling the grounds

"You okay?" Laurie shifted and stood beside ot back to human form It took y scale

"Okay? U Kind of Achy did a number on me but he let me live All in all it was pretty intense" I s to the rescue" I felt my hair and caoing to need a trim before I traveled anywhere