“Has she always been like this?” I asked quietly.
Baal glanced at the goddess and grimaced. “Oh yes. If anything, she’s gotten calmer with age.”
“I dread to think what she was like when she was younger then.”
He chuckled. “Trust me, whatever you’re imagining, it was ten times worse. She has a twin brother too.”
“Is he taking part in the calendar?”
“No. He had his heart broken a couple of hundred years ago and he hasn’t been around much since. I can’t see Kuk ever taking part in something like this.”
I nodded and lifted my camera. Even from this distance, the goddess in front of us radiated beauty and it was hard not to compare myself to her.
The snap of a camera shutter caught my attention and I looked over at Baal to find his camera pointed right at me.
“You’re supposed to be shooting Kuaket,” I reminded him.
“I know, but I saw a much more beautiful subject that needed capturing.”
My heart fluttered unbidden and all kinds of conflicting feelings rose up inside me. “I’m hardly more beautiful than she is,” I murmured.
“Maybe not to some people, but you are to me.”
My breathing hitched and I stared into the god’s eyes, able to see the depth of the truth in his words lingering there. He believed what he was saying, and that made it hard for me to doubt it.
I cleared my throat and turned my attention back to shooting Kuaket. Despite all of the chaotic vibes she was putting off, there was no doubt that she was a photogenic subject. Or that she knew exactly what she needed to do in order to be the right fit for the calendar. No doubt this wasn’t the first time she’d taken naked photos.
I moved closer and went down on my knees so I could get a better angle, losing myself in the art of what we were doing and completely forgetting any lingering feelings of jealousy. I was still in a little disbelief that Baal thought I was the right person for this job, but I was going to make the most of it regardless. He was putting his faith in me to get the right shots.
This wasn’t even about the potential portfolio I’d have at the end, but about doing a good job.
I looked over my shoulder to check that I was doing things right to find Baal standing there with a satisfied expression on his face while he watched me. I smiled at him, trying not to get too lost in the way it felt to have a moment like this. There would be so much more both of us needed before this could even start to become something real, but this was a good start. Or I hoped it was.
“Do you want Kua in a different position?” Baal asked me.
“Erm...what do you think?” I stood up and let my camera rest against my chest. Well, Baal’s camera. I didn’t own anything anywhere near as good as this.
“I think we could do with some others, that way we can pick the right shots to go along with the others.”
I nodded.
“Kua, can we do some seated shots?” he called out to the goddess.
She hopped down from the log she was standing on, seemingly completely oblivious to the fact she was naked with a giant snake wrapped around her neck. “I could go into the water,” she said.
Baal nodded. “That might be good.”
“I’ll get myself comfortable. It’s a shame there’s no one around to join me.” She sighed dramatically and headed off to the shore of the lake.
“And this is why they have appointments one at once,” Baal muttered.
“What would happen if they didn’t?” I asked, a little curious.
“With some of them? Nothing. They have far more sense than that. For others...” He glanced at the goddess making herself comfortable in the water and not caring at all what was on display. “Let’s just say we wouldn’t be able to publish the photos as art.”
I snorted. “Sex can be art.”
“Maybe not the best for a calendar that’s supposed to be for an animal sanctuary,” he pointed out. “Anyway, we need to be done with Kuaket in about half an hour before we have to prepare for Raphael to arrive.”
“The angel?”
He nodded. “I should really show you the list of who’s involved so you’re prepared.”
“That might not be for the best, I think I might end up too starstruck to be of any use to you.”
“You’re doing just fine so far,” he assured me.
“I’m glad you think so, but I’m definitely questioning if I’m qualified to do this.”
“You are,” he said firmly.
“We’ll see when you look at my photographs later.”
“I know we will.” The way he smiled at me made it seem as if he firmly believed what he was saying, and that there was no doubt in his mind that the photos I was taking would be worthy of the project they were supposed to appear in. I was touched by the fact he thought that, and it made me even more determined to make sure it was true.
CHAPTER 8
Baal
As much as I loved photography, I didn’t think I’d had this much fun on a photo shoot in a long time, even if the subjects weren’t my chosen ones. But that probably had nothing to do with the gods posing for my camera and everything to do with the company I had.
I glanced over to where Chelsea was setting up for our next subject, smiling at the ease with which she was going through the motions. It was a good reminder that I hadn’t just asked her to help me on the shoot because I wanted to spend more time with her, but also because she was the right person for the job, and I was certain her photos were going to prove that.
“Okay, I think I’m all set,” she said. “Please tell me this is the last one for the day?”
I chuckled. “It is. After that, I figured we could go and look through all of the photos from the day if you’re up to it. Though if you’re not, that’s also okay.”
“You mean I get to see them straight away?”
“If you want.”
Her eyes lit up. “Then I want to do that.”
“All right. I’d normally do it at my house...”
“That sounds good.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to think that I’m just trying to get you there.”
She shrugged. “I trust you.”
My chest swelled at her response and I had to admit that it was a good feeling to know that she thought of me that way. And I planned to keep it like that. I wanted her to trust me, and I hoped that I could continue proving it to her.
“So who have we got next?” she asked.
“Denwen, do you know him?”
She shook her head.
“He’s a good guy and a dragon god, or demon, depending on who you ask.”
“As in he can shift into a dragon?” Her eyes widened.
“Yes, though I believe he’s bringing his Komodo dragon with him for the shoot.”
“Can I admit to being a little disappointed?” she asked.
“You can. We might be able to persuade him to get his wings out.”
“I really hope so, that would be cool. I liked the way Raphael’s wings caught the light, I think they’re going to look great on some of the final photographs,” she said.