ANOTHER EXCERPT from "ERATO" by CAT JOHNSON

Welcome to Mt. Olympus, where erotic pleasures reign supreme and the ancient Greek gods engage in games that have no rules. When the lowly muse Erato is unwittingly used as a pawn in Aphrodite and Eros’ vengeful quest against Apollo, can he emerge the winner of their battle? More importantly, will he lose his heart to the unsuspecting nymph Acantha in the process?


EXCERPT (PG)
Erato’s gaze roamed the rapidly filling hall, biding his time until this would be over and he could request an audience with Aphrodite, when his eyes stopped on one particular female. “Eros. Who is that nymph? She seems familiar.”

“Who? Her?”

Erato followed Eros’ line of sight, then glanced down at his friend and noted the strange look on Eros’ face. “Yes, her. Who is she?”

Eros visibly swallowed. “Acantha.”

Erato frowned, trying to bring forth a memory that hovered at the edge of his mind. “Acantha. Ah, yes. Now I remember.”

“You do?” Eros squeaked out the question and Erato once again looked at him more closely over this strange behavior.

“Yes, of course I do. Sister of Acanthus. She’s the nymph that Apollo was in love with for a while, isn’t she? She’s hasn’t been around. Whatever happened to her?”

Eros’ continence changed once again, looking almost relieved. “Yes, of course you’d remember her. It was quite the scandal back then. She rebuffed his advances and in the process, left a scratch on his precious face...”

If Erato remembered correctly, it was more like attempted rape than an advance, but he let Eros continue uninterrupted.

“…and as punishment, she was banished by that vain bastard Apollo,” Eros finished with a scowl.

Erato nodded. He remembered Acantha’s fate now. He’d threatened to turn her into a tree but instead doomed her to live in the mortal realm but never be loved. There was no love lost between Eros and Apollo, either. Not since Apollo had insulted Eros’ skill as an archer, and Eros retaliated by making Apollo fall in love with Daphne while at the same time making sure Daphne feared and hated Apollo in return. That had been a mess.

Erato found his eyes inexplicably drawn back to Acantha, who gazed serenely around the assembled group until her eyes met his, and then it was as if a lightning bolt sent a blast of ions straight through him. It had been a long time since a female, even a nymph, had that effect upon him. “Hmm.”

“Hmm, what?” Eros was back to looking at him oddly again.

“Hmm, I think I’ll make time to find Acantha later. To welcome her back.” Perhaps while she was on her back, he added, suddenly feeling amorous.


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