Hire an Incubus

20.

For the first time, Lisa felt uncomfortable in Achilles's arms. This wasn't because he was making her feel uncomfortable but rather that she suddenly felt silly and undeserving of being there. He looked different. His hair was shorter, his usual waved hair was cropped and he definitely hadn't shaved in a while and had the beginnings of a beard.

His hands were placed interlocking on the small of her back and his wolfish grin was slightly uncanny to her.

'Achilles' Lisa said breathlessly, not sure whether to be relieved or terrified. Before she had time to consider either of these options, he had lifted her legs around his waist and was carrying her upstairs.

Achilles set her down on one of the beds and when he pulled away from her, she could tell by his face that he certainly was not happy with her. His face had darkened an awful lot, she had never seen his this angry before.

'We need to have a talk.' he growled at her.

'Achilles...I...I was so worried about you, I missed you...I'

'Bullshit.' He snarled. His voice remained dark and cold. He moved as he said it, jerking forward and Lisa flinched.

'I....Achilles please, don't....hurt me.' She cowered into the sheets.

'Lisa, you don't get to play the victim here. You know I won't hurt you.'

'I read your letter Achilles, I'm sorry, I didn't know, I....'

'I know you read the letter, or else you wouldn't be here. But I wrote that letter in the case that Hercules got me, not that you got me caught.'

'What are you saying? That you don't love me anymore?'

'Well I never said that to begin with, did I?' His eyes were unreadable and his face held a hardness Lisa had never seen before.

There it was. The knife in her throat that Lisa was waiting for. She didn't want to imagine that he meant what he said, but it felt so real.

'He doesn't mean that Lisa.' Aster was standing in the doorway with his arms folded, staring at her from behind Achilles. 'He doesn't mean that.'

Achilles kept his mouth shut and Lisa could almost hear his jaw clench. Lisa was still slightly turned away from him.

'Lisa, look at me.' Achilles said, his voice toning down slightly. 'Look at me.'

Lisa turned to look at him.

'God Achilles, don't be such a dick. You don't know how worried this girl has been about you for the past while. Cut her a break.'

Achilles turned to look at Aster and laughed.

'All due respect Aster, you weren't tortured for the past few weeks. I don't need the third degree from you.'

'Yeah, and you don't need to be so confrontational to a pregnant woman, she's only human, you don't want to harm her.'

'I wouldn't hurt her.' Achilles said through his teeth. 'I'm just trying to figure out why she did this to me.'

'Well you can figure it out downstairs, all sitting around the table.'

Within a few minutes, they were all downstairs, not exactly all sitting around the table though. Lisa was sitting at the table, staring into a milky cup of tea while Achilles was leaning against the countertop and Aster was standing in the doorway.

'Can you sit down please.' Lisa began, looking up briefly, 'You're making me nervous.'

'Well that's too bad.' Achilles sneered. Lisa wasn't used to him being so nasty.