Battle of the Heart

by Jessica Florence

  “It’s over, love. We won,” I said, exuberant. Without Osiris on his team, Zeus would retreat, unwilling to battle all of us, and knowing he would lose. Her eyes looked into mine, trying to believe what I said was the truth. It seemed like we had been fighting for the freedom to live our life together forever. So understanding that it was finally over, and we could be at peace for the rest of time, was a difficult truth to accept.

  Zeus did just as I expected he would. He declared the babes were not a threat anymore and recalled his minions. As they retreated, he looked back at us one more time. He wished there had been a different outcome, but there was nothing he could do now. When they left, Osiris and the rest of the Egyptians did, too, leaving Ra, Aphrodite and Isis with our babes, along with whoever was left of our army. Needing to know that we hadn’t lost too many, I looked behind us to see Leander with a grin on his face; Ares, who was staring down Aphrodite hungrily; and Horus and Set, standing next to each other. Their gazes were on Ra, our lost king.

  Everyone else who survived started to cheer and celebrate our victory. Thalia let go of me and stood. Slowly she walked towards our children. I jumped up and walked behind her.

  “They are well?” she asked the women. Her eyes started to glisten with tears.

  “Yes, they were brave babes. They actually led us right to Ra.” Isis’s words confused me. She laughed and turned to Ra, who explained things more.

  “I needed time to look at inside myself after I stopped bringing about the sun through the underworld. It takes a toll on the soul, as you know. I didn’t realize I had been gone so long. Otherwise I would have stopped this madness long ago. While in meditation, I felt the sizzle of power coming my way. These two women appeared before me. Apparently your son and daughter combined their powers, and it brought them to me. Very bright babies.” He looked at them with adoration. Obviously they had wrapped him around their little fingers, along with everyone else they met. Thalia and I were completely in shock that our babes had transported Aphrodite and Isis to him.

  “We were trying to come up with a plan to help end this war so you could be with your babes again, when they took us right to him. It was like they knew what to do and where to go.” Aphrodite smiled triumphantly and held Callista out for Thalia to take. She snatched her up and held her close while raining kisses over her face.

  Ren squealed while wiggling around in Isis’s arms. He wanted his parents, too. I held my arms out for him and Isis handed him over. When our eyes met, his smile grew big and his hair started changing colors from pink, to orange, to yellow, and back to brown. He was so excited he couldn’t control his hair-changing powers.

  “Good job, Ren. You and your sister saved us all,” I said. It was something I would never forget.

  “They are incredible, as are their parents. I’m very proud of you, Anubis, for standing true to what you felt in your heart. I knew you were destined to do great things, and I was right. And you, my dear! You have endured pain that many cannot imagine. It takes a strong soul to overcome so much. You are a wonderful addition to our family. I am very much looking forward to seeing you more, and your family.” With that, Ra smiled and started to walk towards my brother and Set. He was done with us for now, but that was fine.

  “It’s really over?” Thalia looked at the babies, then at me.

  “Yeah, love. It is. Forever.”

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  Tristan

  It was over.

  The thought that we wouldn’t be looking over our shoulder for someone or something to come after us was bizarre to consider, but it was true. I stood there, holding Callista in my arms, and no one was trying to get her.

  “Thank you.” I looked up to my mother’s face, and then to Isis’s. They teamed up and did the impossible.

  “It was never an option to simply play dead. And now that everything is over, we expect lots of time with them. They were such a joy to watch.” Aphrodite clasped her hands together in joy and Isis agreed with her.

  “Yes, they are darling.”

  “Babe.” Ares walked up to Aphrodite, not even waiting for a hello from her before his lips crashed against hers. She moaned against him, and then pushed him back so she could breathe a little more.

  “Sorry,” she smiled mischievously. Ares looked a little irritated, but that was probably normal for him.

  “I better go see Osiris, stay in touch.” Isis waved then shimmered out of our sight.

  “I’m going to go to. All this battle nonsense has me all worked up.” She eyed Ares, who grabbed her and they both left together. I totally tried not to think about the fact that she was my mother, and the goddess of sex. Shea and Ares were probably already going at it in the seconds they had been gone.

  “That was something.” Tristan shook his head before wrapping his free arm around me, thus hugging his family. We talked to the babes, and told them how everything was going to be fine now, and we how much we loved them. They smiled and laughed. Callista kept feeling safe in her soul, which was perfect, because she was. They both were, thanks to their sneaky operation to get Ra. The doctor had said they were smart babes.

  “So I guess things are going to be good for a while now.” Leander strode up to us with that goofy grin on his face.

  “Seems so.” I was happy, and I was even more happy that Leander was still with me. He was my brother, and I’d be lost without him in my life.

  “Well, I’ve got a woman to get back to. Might be needing your help soon in making that little muse my wife.” He winked, and then leaned in for a hug. I kissed his cheek, and whispered in his ear.

  “You keep her bare foot and in the kitchen, ya hear?” I repeated his words to me, that he said back when I was sick, and Tristan was making me soup in the very beginning of our present courtship. He chuckled and took a step back. He and Tristan nodded at each other goodbye. It was cute. I knew their bond was very strong, after everything they had been through: taking care of me, trying to find me when I was taken, and then working together to keep me and the babes alive. They were brothers, as well, a thought that made my soul warm with love. He gave us one last wave then left to go see Lacey. I couldn’t wait to see when they would be getting married. They deserved it. Hell, they had been through so much, being our friends. We needed to come up with a way to really thank them for everything. They would probably refuse anything we’d give them, but we’d do it anyway.

  I felt Tristan’s eyes on me. He knew I was up to something, but just shook his head and laughed.

  “Well, you know how to throw one hell of a party.” Set was the next one to come to say goodbye.

  “Cute babies. When they get a little older, and don’t shit in a diaper, I’ll watch them for ya. We’ll have all kinds of fun.” He winked then disappeared. I looked up to Tristan with narrowing eyes.

  “He is not watching them.” His kind of fun and my kind of fun were probably two very different types of fun. Tristan just grinned and said nothing. Boys. He was probably going to be with Set, encouraging our babies to do dangerous things like mountain climb at three years old or swim with sharks or something, since they weren’t regular mortals.

  Ra finished talking with Horus, and then flashed out in a beam of light. We’d said thank you and goodbye to the demigods that had stayed to wish us luck on our new life. We were indebted to them, and should they need us, we would help. The rest of the dead, Tristan would deal with. But it was his thing, so Horus and I took the babies inside while he did his job.

  “You are an extraordinary woman, Thalia.” He sat on the couch, dirtying it up with the blood and dirt that was on him. I felt bad for whoever owned this cabin, and winced at what the landscaping must look like. My legs started to shake from fatigue, but I didn’t want to ruin the poor people’s furniture anymore.

  “Sit, Thalia, before you lose all of your strength.” Horus held onto Ren, and patted the cushion next to him. In for a penny and all that. I walked over and plopped on the couch. Callista was mov
ing her arms around, her fingers trying to play with my braids.

  “I can’t believe it’s finally over.”

  “I can see why that would be a hard concept for you to grasp. But, you and Anubis are now free to live your lives.” He spoke the words to Ren, but was obviously talking to me. He was enamored with my son, who seemed to be very interested in his uncle, as well.

  “He likes you a lot,” I said, the sentiment making him turn his head towards me.

  “Been a long time since someone has smiled like this at me.” He went back to playing with Ren. I felt conflicting emotions coming from him—it almost seemed like he wasn’t used to feelings like this.

  “I’m not, I had a rough childhood, and even after I came into power of my own, I have been fighting with my family. Set hated me, and Anubis always felt shunned because of me. Then he hated me after I helped Osiris take him away from your wedding. It took a while, but we made amends, and Set and I just sort of ignored each other. I’ve never belonged.” My heart ached for him. My hand reached out and touched his.

  “Well, you’re part of our family. And Ren is going to need his uncle around. You’re always welcome with us.” I smiled, and he just nodded. Feeling elated, and still a little uncomfortable, Horus offered to watch over the babes while I cleaned up and showered. I didn’t want the evidence of that battle on me any longer.

  The water felt like heaven on my skin, and with my head under the water’s spray, I watched as blood and dirt circled the drain. This day, hell, this whole pregnancy, was burned into my brain. I would never forget what we had been through, no matter how long I lived. My fingers took out the braids in my hair, and pumped some shampoo into the matted mess on my head. Another’s fingers replaced mine in my hair, startling me.

  “Easy, love. Let me take care of you.” Tristan’s voice purred against my ear. He continued to rub my scalp until moving me under the spray again. When I finally got all the crud off my body, I turned to see my beautiful man behind me.

  “My turn.” I smirked at him while lathering up my hands with soap. He stepped in the water, and I got to run my hands over his shoulders, across the tattoo of my name on his chest, and down his sculpted abdomen. My hands automatically wrapped around his hard length, and began to stroke him. His groan of pleasure spurred me on.

  “We have forever now,” I stated while rubbing my thumb over the crown of him. His growl was expected, so was him removing me from touching his cock. And I loved that he lifted me up and pressed me against the tile of the shower, entering me slowly.

  “Fucking you forever, a perfect way to live my life.” He kissed me hard, and I held on as he pounded into me.

  “I’ll never get tired of you.” Somehow I managed to talk through the feeling of ecstasy running through me. Tristan pulled back to watch where our bodies connected over and over.

  “Good, because you are never getting rid of me love,” he growled and hammered into me fast and faster. It was mere seconds before I was falling, unable to help the screams that came from my lips that echoed throughout the room. His fingers dug into the cheeks of my ass before his lips found mine and he groaned out his release into me.

  “Finally,” I muttered. His face looked at me with curiosity. Oops.

  “No, not about you. Oh no, definitely not about you. I meant because we’ve been trying to find time to have sex since the babies were born, and it felt so good,” I purred. Tristan was smiling at me, trying not to laugh. Tristan

  A few hours after our fun in the shower, we said goodbye to Horus and left for our home in the underworld. The babes were happy to be back in their home, and we were too. We ate some food, played with the babes, and constantly kept touching. Ren moved his hands and the bottle I was about to feed him appeared on his chest.

  “Sneaky baby.” I held him and fed the impatient boy.

  Callista was trying to touch her mommy’s face, maybe playing peek-a-boo?

  No one tried to contact us, and it was nice having the quiet time without the threat of impending doom.

  Almost right after Ren finished eating, we laid them down in their cribs; Callista was out quickly. She enjoyed sleeping, and Thalia stood there, watching over them. For a moment, I thought we wouldn’t see them again. It was almost surreal, the whole adventure. I knew Thalia was feeling the same way.

  “It really does feel weird, knowing that we are completely free now,” Thalia admitted to me. She seemed to have been really struggling with that fact. I understood it. But I was willing to come to terms, and be happy. I knew Ra, though. She didn’t. When I told her Ra’s word was law, she believed me, but I don’t think she truly grasped that we would truly be safe for all of eternity. Trying to be more positive, I asked her a question.

  “What do you want to do with your freedom? Anything you wish, love, and we will do it.” I said to her, plain and simple. I wanted to provide her and our babes with the best life I could. She seemed to ponder over what to say before she looked at me and answered.

  “Have fun, take chances, love hard, and be together forever.” It was a simple desire, and easily attainable.

  “Now that we can do.” I grinned and pulled her lips to mine, sealing our future with a kiss.

  We had forever with our family, and we were going to make the best of it.

  One Year Later

  Thalia

  “Just breathe, It’s okay. Really.” I watched as Lacey struggled with the pain.

  Her face was covered in sweat, and I felt bad. It had been a month since she slipped on black ice coming home from work. It wouldn’t have been that bad, but being nine months pregnant made the fall worse. She tried to protect herself, and broke her arm. Today was her last physical therapy session, and I told Leander I would go with her since he had to leave for a business trip yesterday. He was afraid to go, since their baby girl could decide to make her appearance any day now, but Tristan promised he would go get him and bring him to the hospital.

  “I’m so ready for my arm to feel better,” she groaned. I felt for her, before I came into my powers as a demigod, I was very much human. I broke my arm in middle school and it sucked.

  Once her session was over, we left the building and went to go get something to eat. I called Tristan to check in and make sure he was doing ok with the twins. He was, of course. They were having a ball. We tried to get out every once in a while, like normal people. I had dates with Lacey and Leander, while he would go and do adventurous things with Set and Horus.

  Today was my day. Hang out with Lacey, get a pedicure, go to her physical therapy appointment, then grab something delicious for lunch.

  We sat down at a little bistro that was nearby and ordered our food.

  “Hubby doing all right?” she asked and put her feet up on a spare chair. She had a good pregnancy until the last two weeks. She was tired, and her feet and hands liked to swell.

  “Yep, Ren and Callista are enjoying the beach.” I smiled then took a sip of my smoothie.

  “Lucky dog. I think it’s so cool you guys have been traveling as much as you have been. Last week you were in Mexico, and he took the babies to a beach in the Florida Keys today.” I shrugged, we had been pinned down for too long. After the battle a year ago, we decided to live life to the fullest, so that’s what we had been doing. Exploring, and having fun. Ren and Callista were loving every minute of it. And thanks to our family, we weren’t going crazy when we really needed a break. Aphrodite and Isis were too happy to watch them for us so we could have alone time. They were like running around like 2-year-olds even though they just had their first birthday a few weeks ago. Terrible twos were a little more difficult when you had kids with powers, that’s for sure. We kept them busy doing fun things, so they would pass out when it was bedtime.

  “It’s been fun. We’re probably going to hang out at our house outside the city for a few months in case you need us for anything.” Tristan sold his apartment in the city and had bought us a house outside Boston so we could still be close
to Lacey and Leander, but have a home with some land for the kids to run and play as they got older. It was nice. Lacey and Leander took over our apartment, and turned my room into the baby’s room.

  “Thank you. You guys were instantly good parents. Leander will probably be putting fake mustaches on the baby’s face when she naps.”We both laughed because it was probably true.

  “Have you guys thought of names yet?” They had tossed out a few ideas, but hadn’t settled on one.

  “Yeah, we picked one. But we don’t want to tell until she’s born.” She grinned mischievously, and I rolled my eyes. Whatever it was, I’m sure it was awesome. It took us a few weeks to decide on the twins’ middle names. But eventually we both agreed on Ren Orion and Callista Dove.

  “I’m starving,” she growled, while looking around for a waiter with food heading in our direction.

  “I bet, that child is half Leander.” She put a hand on her stomach and nodded. She had an insatiable appetite ever since she found out she was pregnant, a month after their wedding. Leander hadn’t waited long; he proposed to her the day after he got back from the battle. They got married at Tower Hill Botanical gardens. It was beautiful, and of course she had a killer dress, lovely music, and the decorations were to die for. Being the daughter of a muse had its perks.

  “Yeah this little bug.” Her face scrunched up without finishing the rest of her sentence and then I heard it.

  “Uh, Lacey?” I looked below the table, and confirmed what I was thinking.

  “Thalia. I think my water just broke.”

  “Yeah, babe, I think it did.” I stood up and helped her stand.

  “We need to get to the hospital. Shit goes down real quick after that happens. Have you been having contractions and didn’t tell me?” It made me think perhaps she had been in pain all day. I would have hated to think I didn’t notice.

  “Yeah, but they weren’t bad. I honestly just thought they were Braxton Hicks.” She wasn’t panting or anything as we walked to the car. As soon as we pulled into Dr. Geoffrey’s office, I called Tristan, who had Isis come watch the kids and went to get Leander to meet us here. Lacey was just getting hooked up to an epidural machine when Leander and Tristan arrived.