Naughty Or Nice. Sherri Browning Erwin

on> Naughty or Nice

      Naughty or Nice

      SHERRI ERWIN

      ZEBRA BOOKS

       Kensington Publishing Corp.

       www.kensingtonbooks.com

      For my grandparents,

       with love,

       on their sixty-sixth anniversary.

      Contents

      Acknowledgments

      Prologue

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      Chapter Fifteen

      Chapter Sixteen

      Chapter Seventeen

      Chapter Eighteen

      Chapter Nineteen

      Chapter Twenty

      Chapter Twenty-one

      Chapter Twenty-two

      Epilogue

      Acknowledgments

      Thank you, Nick and Elissa, for filling my days with joy and laughter, despite the occasional challenges. Special thanks to Lea-Ann Gordon-Cooke for refreshing my memory on the unique abilities of babies in their fourth month. And a big thank you to readers everywhere, and especially to the Whiners, friends of the Whine Sisters, who keep coming back for more.

      Prologue

      “But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and fair Kate is the sun.” Hermes ended his soliloquy with a mocking Shakespearean flourish and a deep, low laugh. He never tired of teasing his poor lovelorn uncle.

      Hades sighed, cast a wicked glare in the direction of Hermes, and diverted his attention back to his gazing ball.

      The previous year, Hades had embarked on an affair with a human only to be forced to leave her and never set foot on earthly soil again. He’d struck a bargain with Zeus. In exchange for consigning himself solely to hell’s environs, Hades had been able to offer his ladylove what she’d wanted most: a child. Now, unable to be with them himself, Hades watched over Kate and their daughter with near-obsessive interest.

      And with a growing sense of pity for his powerful uncle, Hermes watched Hades give in to fits of humanlike emotion.

      Hermes couldn’t imagine a love great enough to sacrifice any of his godly gifts. Traveling among the clueless humans was chief of his amusements. Despite his penchant for stirring up mischief, he had been spending a lot of time there as messenger to Hades. His uncle frequently sent him down to monitor his various business ventures, and more recently to check on Kate.

      So far, he had managed to keep his distance and merely observe mother and child from afar. As a rule, Hermes preferred to avoid children, the tiny things with their grasping hands and never-ending babble. They taxed his nerves and annoyed him with their vulnerability.

      “Hermes.” At last, his uncle turned from the gazing ball and spoke. “I’ve a mission for you.”

      “Yes, I’ll make the journey.” Hermes anticipated the request, so he only half listened as he filled his cup with some more of his uncle’s excellent wine. To go with the wine, he ripped a hunk from a nearby loaf of bread and looked over the well-set sideboard for the delectable gouda he had devoured, save for a small wedge, earlier.

      One thing about the lord of the underworld, he kept a magnificent house. Only the best for Hades. Mount Olympus had nothing on hell, which was why Hermes had no quibble with his lot, ending up in his uncle’s employ instead of being stuck in his father’s house. Like his uncle, Hermes had an appreciation for the finer things.

      “I’m not after the usual reports.”

      Hades’s tone of voice commanded Hermes to attention. He cocked a brow. “Not the usual?”

      “I want you to spend some time with them, get to know them. See how they fare day to day.”

      “They, meaning Kate and”—his voice broke, revealing his distaste—“the baby?”

      “My child grows at an alarming rate. She’s already holding her head up and starting to observe the world around her, but I can’t manage any insight to her mind yet.”

      “She’s four months old in the mortal sense of time. That barely puts her on par with a satyr as far as displaying her mind-set goes.”

      Hades tightened his mouth to a grim line and Hermes felt the momentary prickle of fear that he was about to be felled by a lightning bolt. None came. “My concern is that Eliana may not be entirely human. What if she’s harboring godlike powers? She could be at risk were she to display her skills. You remember the Salem Witch Trials?”

      Hermes bit into his bread and washed it down with cabernet before answering. “Humans have grown more tolerant of uniqueness in their midst. Besides, she’s but a babe.”

      “Exactly.” Hades leaned forward and pressed his fingertips together. “She has no control of her gifts, no idea they even exist. Anything could happen.”

      Hermes, recognizing true parental concern in his uncle’s tone, stifled a grin. “I’m sure she’s entirely human. Zeus barely agreed to lend you the power to create human life. He certainly wouldn’t have entertained the idea of gifting her with extraordinary powers on top of everything.”

      “You’re probably right.” Tension lifting from his features, Hades rose to pace the room. “Nonetheless, I want you to walk amongst them. Use the premise of taking over at Glendower Enterprises. It will put you in proximity to Kate and you can find an in to get closer to her from there.”

      “It’s nearly their Christmastime,” Hermes noted with revulsion, stealing a glance at the gazing ball. “They’ll be in fine spirits. Singing, celebrating.” Doting on the children. He choked back a wave of nausea. “Perhaps it could wait until spring?”

      “It can’t wait. Make haste. Prepare to leave at once. I want a full report as soon as you’re settled.”

      Hermes prepared to argue his case, then stopped in his mental tracks as he caught sight of something extraordinary through the gazing ball. Who’s that? He didn’t say it out loud. Not yet. Why tip his hand to his uncle?

      A vision. She leaned over Eliana’s cradle, the curve of her lush bottom on display from the fall of her low-rise jeans. Genius human invention, low-rise jeans. And when she stood up, she gave him a chance to check out the rest of her. Not Hades’s Kate, thank the gods, but she had something of Kate’s appearance. With slightly smaller breasts. She had to be the sister.

      She looked enough like Kate, and yet different. Long legs, those breasts, slender waist, angelic smile, a prime example of everything Hermes liked best about the human race: sensual, lovely women.

      And she would be willing. At least, they were usually willing where he was concerned. He seldom met with refusals. Ah, he had found his “in,” just the way to insert himself