I joined him in the search and noticed that my hands were shaking as I picked through the papers. Cole noticed too.

  “What’s wrong? Did you find something?” he asked.

  I dropped the papers back onto the desk. “No.” I drew a deep breath and forced myself to face him. “Listen, I need to get this out of the way if we’re going to work together.”

  Cole frowned. “Get what out of the way?”

  I slid my bottom onto the desk. “Your relationship with Zeus is complicated. You were in the vicinity when he was found…”

  “Anyone in Zone 1 was in the vicinity,” he said. “It’s not Los Angeles.”

  “Okay, but what I need to know is—are you going to obliterate me? Because it would be good to know sooner rather than later. Get mentally prepared for extinction.”

  As Cole rubbed his jaw, I allowed myself the tiniest peek at his eyes. Yep. Still mesmerizing.

  “You think I’m guilty?” he asked.

  “No, but I’m asking if you are. I just died and I’m not great with transitions, so I’d appreciate a heads up if I’m about to hit another major milestone on the highway to Hell or whatever.”

  Cole placed both hands on my shoulders and I held my breath, waiting for the shoe to drop. He looked me straight in the eye. “I am not responsible for my father’s obliteration and I am not going to hurt you. I don’t know what else to say that might convince you.”

  I released a breath. “You can start by telling me where you were yesterday morning.”

  His warm hands left my shoulders, leaving a slight chill in their place. “I was in the lake. I came to shore when I saw the crowd gathered on the field and followed everyone to the HOA office.”

  “You were swimming?” Now that I thought about it, his hair had a slightly dewy quality to it when I first saw him.

  “I do a morning swim to start the day. Keep a change of clothes by one of the piers. Some villagers do yoga. Some work out at the gym. I like being underwater. Can’t hear anything there, not even my own thoughts.”

  That actually sounded appealing. “Do you snorkel or scuba dive?” I shuffled to the side so that he could continue his inspection of the desk.

  “No, I’m not looking to admire the mermaids. I just find it a good place to think and be alone.”

  “You don’t live alone?” It suddenly occurred to me that there might be a Mrs. Mesmerizing Eyes.

  “Oh, I live very much alone,” he said, and I relaxed slightly. “But there’s something about the water that I find comforting.”

  “Okay,” I said. My feet returned to the floor and I rounded the desk so that I could sit in Zeus’s chair. With its high back and velvet cushion, it was more like a throne.

  Cole squinted at me. “Okay? That’s it? You’re going to take my word for it?”

  I lifted a letter opener from the desk and offered it to him. “If you’re guilty, take this and get it over with.”

  Cole stared at the letter opener in disbelief. “You’re asking me to obliterate you? Are you nuts?”

  “Only if you’re covering your tracks. If you’re not, then there won’t be any…” I pretended to slice my throat.

  He shook his head. “Put it down, hot dog. I have no reason to slice you open.”

  As I moved to put back the letter opener, I knocked my hand on the edge of the desk and dropped it. When I bent down to retrieve it, I spotted something colorful peeking out from the base of the chair. “What’s this?” I lifted a blue, green, and purple feather from the floor. I heard a sharp intake of breath behind me and turned to face Cole. “What?”

  “That’s a peacock feather.”

  I glanced at the feather. “Cool. Does Zeus have a peacock?” I held up the plume in the sunlight for a better view. The colors sparkled and I squinted at the dark tip. “It looks like he might have used it as a quill.”

  Cole snatched the feather from my hand, careful to avoid touching the tip. “I think it’s been poisoned.”

  I laughed. “What are you talking about? It’s ink.”

  Cole shook his head and looked distractedly around the room until he located a clear bag. He shoved the feather inside and sealed it closed. “It’s not ink and my father doesn’t have a peacock. In fact, he made a point of staying far away from anything peacock related.”

  “That’s a weird phobia. I mean, I’m not a fan of spiders, but if we all used spider legs as writing implements, I’d have to get over it.”

  Cole slanted his head and stared at me. “He hated peacocks because they’re Hera’s favored pet. She has peacocks in her garden.” He shook the bag at me. “And I believe this feather was intended to harm him.”

  My eyes popped. “You think Hera tried to kill him with that feather?”

  “And maybe when that attempt failed, she tried again,” he said. “And this time, she succeeded.”

  I scratched my head. “Then why appoint me as marshal to investigate?”

  “Because it makes her look innocent.”

  My gaze shifted to the feather. “What kind of poison is it?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m going to take it to a friend to find out.”

  “Awesome. You have friends who know their poisons? That’s handy. I’m glad Hera made you my deputy.” It also helped that he was easy on the eyes. No reading glasses necessary to view his assets.

  “We should check the rest of the house and then I’ll take this to Zone 2.”

  “You mean we’ll take it to Zone 2.”

  He wagged a finger. “No, you’re not ready for a visit there. Too soon.”

  “Too soon? What’s so intimidating about Zone 2? The fact that there are vampires and werewolves there? Newsflash. I already met a handful of them when I landed here.”

  “It’s not that.” He stuffed the bag under his arm and sighed. “It’s complicated.”

  “Dude, I am in a supernatural afterlife where I don’t belong, investigating the murder of a god that I didn’t commit, and you’re telling me a visit to your friend in Zone 2 is complicated?” I gave him a hard shove. “Get over yourself.”

  Cole rubbed his chest and I thought I detected the faintest hint of a smile. “Fine. You’ve convinced me. Just let me do the talking.”

  I added a spring to my step as I headed for the next section of the house. “Sure. So where will we go in Zone 2?” I was interested to see how the other half lived.

  “Bloodlust. It’s a bar.”

  My stomach soured. “Did you say Bloodlust?”

  “Ready to change your mind?”

  “No, not me. I can handle it.” I had to, didn’t I? Despite my bravado with Cole and the letter opener, I didn’t want to cease to exist. The idea was terrifying.

  By the time we finished searching the rest of Zeus’s villa, my muscles ached and my vision was blurry. We’d swiped food from the fridge to sustain ourselves so that we could continue our hunt for clues. When I’d asked Cole why I still needed to eat in the afterlife, he said that I actually didn’t—that it was psychological—but that most villagers carried on as before because it was within their comfort level. Apparently old habits died very, very hard. After finishing a sweep of the tower (the coolest rooms in the house, in my opinion), the only potential clue we yielded was the peacock feather.

  “Ready to move on or want to call it quits for today?” Cole asked.

  I rubbed my sore arm. “I’m always willing to sally forth when there’s a bar at the end of the rainbow.”

  He motioned toward the front door. “Humans first.”

  Although I was surprised to see the outside was steeped in darkness, I shouldn’t have been. I turned on the headlights of my golf cart, not that they were very bright. I had to concentrate to see the road in front of me and rely on Cole’s instructions.

  “Why do you have light and dark here if there’s no sun?” I asked.

  “Because it’s what we’re used to, like with eating. Divine Place is a construct of our former realities.”

  “But your realities were so different,” I said. “Zeus lived on a mountain that reached the heavens and you…” Well, I didn’t know anything about Cole’s former existence.

  He stared straight ahead. “The sun rose and set either way. The moon went through its phases.”

  “Gotcha.”

  We arrived at the wharf and parked. Lights twinkled on the other side of the lake. It was hard to believe there was a scary bar called Bloodlust somewhere over there. It all looked far too picturesque and serene from this angle.

  I scanned the sheet of darkness for any sign of the ferry. “There’s no schedule posted anywhere.” The only sign in evidence was the one with The Great Divide painted in large blue letters.

  “He’ll appear out of the mist any moment,” Cole said.

  “What mist?” I had a clear view across the lake between Zones 1 and 2.

  “There.” Cole pointed to the left. Sure enough, a cloud appeared to float across the surface of the water. A ferry broke through the puff of white and I saw Charon’s Crossing painted on the side.

  “How did he know?”

  “He just does,” Cole said. “That’s his job.”

  I inched back as Charon docked the ferry. He wasn’t the most attractive guy in the world. His crooked nose gave his face a villainous vibe and his unkempt beard wasn’t doing him any favors either. There could be an entire extended family of critters living in that beard and he’d be none the wiser. It didn’t help that he had the fashion sense of a middle-aged man on mushrooms.

  “Nice ride,” I said.

  He smiled. “This is definitely a step up from a dinghy on the River Styx.” He offered his hand. “I’m Charon.”

  “Eloise Worthington.”

  His brow lifted. “Oh, the human who killed Zeus.” He shot a quizzical look at Cole. “And you’re…hanging out together? I know you and your father weren’t close but still.”

  “Eloise and I are investigating my father’s obliteration,” Cole said.

  Charon observed the demigod for a brief moment. “Interesting.”

  Cole bristled. “What?”

  “Nothing.” He waved us forward. “Come aboard, folks. Plenty of space.”

  The boat reminded me of the Disney World ferry with seats inside as well as around the perimeter. There were also viewing decks on two levels. I positioned myself on the lower viewing deck, not that there was much to see at night.

  “Must be strange for you,” Charon said, joining me on the deck. “Suddenly being dropped into a whole new world.”

  “And playing detective. I still can’t believe you don’t have law enforcement, but you have an HOA.”

  He shook his head. “I break out in a sweat when I get the bill. The fees seem to increase every year.”

  I glanced over my shoulder to see Cole at the wheel. I had to admit, the demigod looked good in the role of ship’s captain, even if it was only a ferry. “Aren’t you supposed to be driving?”

  “Cole offered to steer.”

  “It’s probably a nice distraction,” I said. “He seems to be putting on a brave face, but it can’t be easy for him.”

  “Cole’s had it worse,” Charon said.

  My antenna shot up. “What do you mean?”

  The ferryman eased away from the rail. “Nothing. I mean, we’ve all lost our lives in some respects, haven’t we? That’s why we’re here.”

  “So you’re dead like me?” I pressed my back against the rail and faced him. Dead like me. Would that ever sound normal?

  “I’m in the afterlife like you.” His expression was too neutral to get a sense of his feelings on the subject. I’d always thought I excelled at reading people, but supernaturals were proving to be a challenge.

  “Why do you get sent here?” I asked. “If immortals are sent here when they’re forgotten or no longer worshipped, why do dead supernaturals end up here too?”

  “Not all immortals are in Divine Place, just as not all supernaturals are here.” Charon breathed in the fresh air. “This is temporary accommodation, if you will.”

  “I wonder if my cousin Frank is in human purgatory. He wasn’t that great.” He once blindfolded me and made me eat dog food as part of a taste test. I was five.

  Charon laughed softly. “There are more in the middle than anywhere else. You’d be in good company.”

  “Only if I manage not to get snuffed out of existence by Madam President,” I said. “That reminds me—did you happen to see Zeus yesterday morning?”

  Charon shook his head. “I didn’t see him often. He wasn’t known to use the ferry since he had other ways of crossing. Sometimes he turned into a swan and swam across.”

  He liked swans but not peacocks. Good to know.

  Charon cast a glance over his shoulder. “Almost there. I’d better take over from Cole and assume my duties.”

  “Aye, aye, Captain,” I said, saluting him. I turned toward land for a better view of Zone 2, but it was too dark to see much more than lights. The closer the ferry got to the wharf, the more anxious I became. This was the place where Randolph didn’t want me to live because it wasn’t safe for a human. A shudder escaped me and I knew it had nothing to do with the evening air. For one of the first times in forty-seven years, I was scared.

  Cole appeared beside me. “I guess you’re about ready for that drink.”

  I inhaled sharply. “You have no idea.”

  Chapter Five

  If I had to imagine what a place called Bloodlust would look like, this was it. The red and black color scheme was accented with lava lamps that doubled as atmospheric lights on each table. The deep crimson liquid moved across the ceiling like blood through veins thanks to tiny tubes that were strung like lights. The ambience should’ve been creepy, but somehow it wasn’t. It was just…cool.

  Cole nudged me forward. “You might want to close your mouth.”

  “Or what? It’ll be obvious I’m not a vampire?”

  “Oh honey, it was obvious the second you stepped inside,” a female voice said. “A vampire wouldn’t be caught undead in that outfit.”

  I glanced down at my…Ariadne’s clothes. “I haven’t had a chance to shop yet.”

  When I glanced up, her red lips parted wide enough to reveal a gleaming set of fangs. I instinctively recoiled.

  “Don’t tell me you haven’t met a vampire yet,” she said.

  “I did when I first…arrived,” I said. But when I met Fangs McTavish—or Hamish as he was actually called—the reality of my situation hadn’t sunk in yet and, thankfully, neither had any fangs.

  “I relish fresh meat.” The woman circled me, a lean jungle cat on the hunt for hapless prey. Her jet-black hair was pulled back into a tight braid and her black pants were snug enough to appear painted on her skin.

  “Easy, Jules,” Cole said. “Put away the fangs. Eloise is new here. No need to make her uncomfortable.”

  “You’re not uncomfortable, are you?” Jules’s full lips hovered close to mine.

  “I don’t mind teeth. I even considered becoming a dentist,” I said, “until I realized I’d have to put my hands in people’s mouths. Then it was a hard pass.”

  Jules sniffed the air, ignoring me. “I’m not normally a fan of blondes, but I haven’t smelled pure human in many years.” She inhaled again, this time with gusto. “Eau de human was always was my preferred fragrance.” She winked at me. “I wore it well.”

  My throat thickened and I found it hard to speak, which was saying something. I rarely lost the power of a snappy comeback.

  Cole cleared his throat. “Got a table for us?”

  “Got more than a table for you, hot stuff,” Jules said. Her dark, wide-set eyes were as flirtatious as her smile.

  Cole shook his head. “I think we both know how that ends. Just a table, thanks.”

  “Sit with me at the bar,” Jules urged. “It gets lonely behind the counter.”

  “You’re the bartender?” I asked. Somehow I doubted she was ever lonely.

  Jules pinched my cheek. “Aren’t you sweet?” Before she could withdraw her hand, I grabbed it and dug my nails into her flesh.

  “Touch me again without permission and I’ll be serving you at the bar—in pieces.” Although my insides were quivering, I kept my mask firmly in place. I knew how to handle bullies thanks to years of practice on the battlefield of playgrounds, construction zones, and public transport.

  Jules slowly pulled her hand away and I noticed that my nails had drawn blood. She licked the droplets away and stared at me long and hard. “I like her,” she finally said. “You can keep her.”

  “She’s not a pet, Julianna,” Cole said.

  Her lids lowered, heavy with disapproval. “I told you never to call me that again.” She turned and sauntered to the bar where she leaped over the counter in one swift, graceful movement.

  I happened to like the name Julianna, but I got the impression that my two cents wouldn’t be welcome.

  Jules leaned a slender hip against the counter. “What are you drinking, human?”

  I glanced warily at the bottles behind the counter. “I don’t have to say Bloody Mary, do I?”

  Jules smirked. “I serve all kinds.” She ran her tongue over her upper lip. “And I do mean all.”

  Cole sighed. “Give it a rest, will you? Eloise has enough to deal with. She doesn’t need your tractor beam of sexuality tugging at her.”

  I laughed. “Tractor beam of sexuality? Now there’s a new expression.”

  Cole shrugged. “That’s how it feels.”

  Jules flashed a Cheshire cat grin. “I can make you feel a lot of things.”

  A shadow passed over his chiseled features. “Bourbon on the rocks,” he said.

  I threaded my fingers together and leaned forward. “Do you have a drinks menu, by any chance?”

  Jules gave me a sharp look. “If you ask for a Cosmo, I’ll be showing you the door—face first.”

  “Is that how your boss expects you to treat customers?”

  “Jules is the boss,” Cole said. “She owns the bar.”

  “Had to fight for it,” she added. “Stupid Xavier. Why did he ever think he could beat me?”