29. The Dog's Master

Sage slowly wiped tables in the cake shop, her gaze distant and lost.

"She's been like this for days." Markus muttered to Cesar, both men watching Sage walk blankly past them. "It's like she's here but not here. What do you think's happened?"

"That guy hasn't been coming to the shop lately." Cesar mused. Ares' worshippers were bereft in his absence. Many were eating to comfort their hurt feelings. It was doing great for sales.

Markus rubbed the back of his head.

"Do you reckon they broke up?"

Cesar shrugged but nodded. They watched Sage trudge glumly into the kitchen. Markus nudged Cesar. "Go say something to make her feel better."

"Me?"

"You're good at this kind of stuff. Just don't put your foot in your mouth."

Flustered, Cesar shuffled into the kitchen after Sage. He stood beside her at the sink and put on a pair of marigolds.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He asked tentatively.

"I'm not thinking anything." They washed together in silence, the awkwardness making Cesar tremble. Sage didn't seem to notice that he was still standing there.

"Where's Ares? I haven't seen him around lately."

"He's gone." Sage's voice was monotone.

"Oh." Cesar bit his lip. "Do you want to go out and get drunk tonight?"

"Not really."

"We could watch cheesy movies and eat junk food?" He suggested. Sage didn't immediately say no but she seemed apathetic.

"Come on, Sage." He whined, clinging onto her arm and dripping soapy bubbles down her uniform. "It will be fun. We haven't hung out together in ages." He pouted his lip. "I'll even let you put a face mask on me." Last time she'd tried he'd dramatically characterised the experience as being 'touched by the hand of death'. His ability to cope with the cold sheet on his face had been non-existent. Sage's gaze softened.

"Ok."

After their shift, the two friends linked arms and headed for the supermarket.

"Do you not do deliveries anymore?" Cesar asked as they blazed up and down the aisles.

"Not for a while now. There's been too much trouble with the gangs so A-" Sage stopped talking suddenly. She'd been about to say 'Ares'. "So, I decided it was best to take a break..." She mumbled. She grabbed the nearest thing off the shelf and chucked it into their trolley.

Was Ares thinking about her at all? Had he forgotten her already? He'd been alive for thousands of years. Perhaps these last few months had been nothing to him.

Was he with Aphrodite?

This thought kept creeping upon Sage lately. She'd lie in bed and picture Ares with the beautiful goddess of love. If the ancient lovers reconciled, Sage was sure that Ares would forget her immediately. How could she, a normal human, compete with an immortal?

Sage stared down at her flawless wrist. Ares had saved her life, surely that meant something? That he'd forgiven her for trying to kill him? That she wasn't nothing to him? But he hadn't waited to see her wake up. He hadn't said goodbye...

"Sage?" Cesar called out her name. Sage came back into the present just as Cesar pulled her into a hug. "Don't cry. No man's worth crying about, trust me. We're all dogs."

Sage chuckled at his attempt to cheer her up. She brushed her tears and tried to smile.

"Actually." She sniffed. "Do you mind if I invite someone to join us this evening?"

"Not at all. The more the merrier." He grinned. "Now, let's go look at ice cream." He steered the trolley toward the giant freezers.

Sage pulled out her phone and found Ezekiel in her contacts. She sent him a quick message, inviting him over to watch films with her and Cesar. Her phone pinged immediately with his reply.

Ok.

At least he hadn't abandoned her.

Sage and Cesar carried their heavy shopping bags to Sage's rundown apartment. Once they were outside the door, Cesar took a bag from her so that she could fish her keys out from her handbag.

"Err, no offence, Sage. But that rash is nasty. It looks super painful." Cesar grimaced, eyeing the broken, weeping skin. Sage flushed and tugged down her sleeve. She'd been trying to hide it. The enflamed skin now covered her entire arm and was spreading up her shoulder. It was super painful.

Sage frowned. The door wasn't locked.

"Oh?" Had she forgotten to lock it? She'd been so spaced out lately that she didn't question it. "What film should we start with?" She asked as they traipsed through into her apartment.

"Grease 2?"

"Ergh! Anything but Grease 2."

"It's the best of the Grease's!" Cesar protested. He started off-key singing one of his favourite songs. "Re-pro-duction. Reproduction! Is that all you think about-"

Sage groaned and set her shopping bags down on the sofa. She had a moment when something clicked in her brain. She'd just heard movement from the kitchen. Her heart skipped a beat but she was too slow to react. She turned her head a fraction and froze. From the corner of her eye, she could see the gun that was being aimed at her head. Cesar's singing came to a strangled, high-pitch end as he realised what was happening.

Sage stared at Skelrun and slowly put her hands up in surrender.

"What's this about?" She asked nervously. She glanced across at Cesar. He also had his hands up in the air.

"Apologies. This doesn't really have anything to do with you." Skelrun's voice was rough, like it was being dragged over gravel. Sage shivered nervously as she stared into his lifeless gaze. "There's a dog I need to put down today."

Sage's heart spasmed painfully. Ezekiel.

"You." Skelrun rasped at Cesar. "Tape up her hands and feet." He ordered, thrusting a roll of masking tape at Cesar's chest. Sage nodded at Cesar, her eyes telling him to do what Skelrun wanted. Sage put her wrists together, making it easier for him. Her legs trembled as Cesar wrapped the tape round and round her clasped hands.

"Sit down." Skelrun directed, pointing at the sofa. Sage sat down and Cesar knelt so that he could tape her legs together. This done, Cesar remained on his knees and looked up at the gangster.

"We don't want any trouble." Cesar spoke evenly. Skelrun got out his phone and directed the camera at Sage.

"Tell Ezekiel to come rescue you."

Sage clamped her lips together, her gaze defiant. Skelrun seemed bored by her attitude. Sighing, he pulled his gun and fired it without looking.

Cesar flinched. He fell onto his front and groaned, his face smushed against the carpet.

"No!" Sage screamed. Skelrun smirked and hit record, zooming in on Sage's face. "Don't hurt him. Please, don't hurt him!"

Cesar rolled onto his side, clutching his shin. Blood soaked through the leg of his trousers.

"I'm fine." He reassured Sage through clenched teeth.

"Look at the camera, woman." Skelrun coaxed. Sage didn't look at the camera. She looked at Skelrun with a blazing hatred. "Tell my Mad Dog to come rescue-"

He didn't manage to finish that sentence.

Sage leapt off the sofa and threw herself Skelrun, slamming her body into his. The gangster fell back onto the coffee table and the cheap piece of furniture buckled beneath him. Sage landed on top of him. She thrust her elbow into his stomach and smacked her head against his chin.

The doorbell rang.

"HELP US!" Cesar yelled. Sage's attention was on the gun which had fallen from Skelrun's hands – but was easily within his reach. Skelrun's attention was on this also. Sage tried to pin him down, but with her wrists bound she couldn't restrain both of his hands.

"Cesar, help me!" She barked, struggling desperately. Skelrun's fingers brushed against the barrel of his gun, nudging it closer.

"HELP US!" Cesar bellowed at the top of his lungs.

"Get his gun!" Sage commanded. But it was too late. Skelrun's hand curled around his weapon. Sage bit down hard. Due to her awkward angle, she was biting him on the soft flesh on his side – just beneath his armpit. Skelrun cursed loudly.

Sage continued to gnash at him with her teeth, as if she were a wild dog. Then she felt it. The cold barrel of a gun being pressed against her head. Skelrun's grip on the gun was strong and his finger rested on the trigger.

"Crazy bitch!" He spat.