by Dee King
Avenue. We had found Colin's home, but his was very different from Selene's and the house sign read “Poseidon's Way and Friends”.
He made a home for Colin and or his friends? Well, that seemed a little unfair. We keep walking and find everyone's homes but mine. Then we see it. Sebastian Parkway. House of Hades is what my sign reads. The house is not anything like I pictured. It's the biggest besides Alex’s and the home has only one window, on the front door. Yea, he hates me. We stroll through the front door when I hear an unfamiliar yet recognizable voice.
Cato.
“Did you see what his majesty did for us?” Cato is pointing around the house.
“Wait, you live here too?” I ask him.
“Looks like it.” He walks to the center of a room holding a sign that reads
“Cato, Son of Medusa, Welcome”.
“You’re not living with me.” My voice cracks a tad.
“This could be good for the two of you.” Selene's eyes looking at Cato, not me.
“How do you figure?”
“Maybe he is trying to help you guys.” We both laugh at the comment because that was not in Zeus's mind.
No way would he want to help us.
“Maybe it's so you can kill each other, how about that?”
She is standing with her hands on her hips.
“That's more like it.” I tell her through a small smile.
“You two have to work this out because it doesn't look like you have much of a choice.” She looks around the room, leaning in to the both of us.
“I'm game. I told you I was on your side anyways.” Cato offers a slight smile.
“Whatever.” I didn't want to discuss this anymore.
“I guess I'm going to keep looking around and find Harper. I will see the two of you later.” He winks at Selene.
She smiles, a genuine smile.
“What the hell was that?” I ask her.
“What?” Her face is blushed with shades of red.
“You like him?” She fidgets with her hands for a moment, rubbing the engagement ring.
“No not like that. He is just... he is like you, just older.”
“We are nothing alike.” I tell her leaving her standing alone in the room, finding my way to another room in this maze Zeus called a home.
“Sebastian, it's not like that. I'm sorry. I guess I just think he's cute.” Her are eyes not looking at me.
“That's awesome. Well if you remember correctly, he tried to kill you too.” I move to stand in front of her.
“I remember. All I'm saying is he may not be as bad as you think, okay?”
“Yea, okay.”
We stand there glaring at one another and for the first time I see that I don't have to battle just Alex for her. I will have to make sure her heart is true just for me.
Fear begins to overwhelm me.
Chapter Fourteen
Father doesn't know best
Selene makes her way to me, laying a hand on my chest.
“Sebastian, you can think someone is cute, beautiful, whatever, doesn't mean that you have feelings for them.”
“I didn't say that.” I tilt my head looking down at her tanned, gorgeous face.
“You didn't have too, I know you. You forget that.” She moves her hand up my chest to my neck.
Her touch makes me feel nerves on my skin that I didn't know exist.
“I love you, only you.” She tips up on her high heels and presses her lips to mine.Kissing her makes everything feel right in this world or the other.
“As I do you..” I tell her, pulling back for just a second.
“What do we do now?” She steps down and backs up from me.
A part of me wanted to answer that question very differently. However, with Selene standing in front of me, and me wanting to hold her forever, I knew that
wasn't to what she was referring.
“We need to find out when the wedding is.” I'm still mesmerized by where her mouth had just been on mine.
“That's a hell of an idea, brother.” Cato shouts loudly.
“Why are you yelling?” I ask him, moving to the side of Selene.
“I didn't really want to break up the happy moment, but this wedding needs to happen soon.” He walks casually to us.
“Why do you care?” Selene asks.
“I care because when all said and done, this helps me. I can't say how just yet, but you two getting married is what needs to happen.” We hear footsteps coming towards us.
“You can say that again.” Ian smiles as he and Zack walk into the room.
“Okay, guess we need a game plan.” I tell them.
“I have one.” A third voice says from the other room.
Alex. Alex is standing in what would be my entryway.
“This is going to be fun.” Ian rubs his hands together, as if he has an evil plot.
“Chill dude.” Cato tells him while patting him gently on the shoulder.
“I'm chilled.” He says shrugging his shoulders. I walk to Alex, shutting the door behind him when I see Cali, Colin, Iris, Harper, and London standing at the door.
“Please, why don't you all come the hell in?” I grunt.
“Thank you, nice of you to invite us.” Colin says with a smart-ass grin taking the lead inside.
“Damn, damn, damn. I gotta find a seat for this shit, all of you in the same room at the same time. Why don't I ever carry popcorn with me when this shit goes down?” Ian finds the largest dark red couch in the room we are
all now standing in and plops himself right down.
“Shut up.” Colin, Cato, Zack, and I all say.
Selene takes ahold of my hand and it's shaking. This makes her nervous and I have to agree. This is a lot of hate running through veins for the people in this room and we are center stage.
“Why doesn't everyone try to find somewhere to sit?” I try to shove everyone into the large over decorated room.
This would be fun to watch if just for the fact to watch my brother and Colin fight over Iris. Selene was now gripping my arm with both of her hands. I felt superior in that
moment to them. My future wife clinging to me, showing that she didn't care about them.
“I guess I will go first.” Alex says, while standing beside me.
“This is gonna be good.” Ian can't help himself.
“Shut the hell up.” Colin spits back at him.
“Chillax.” Ian huffs at Colin, holding his hands up to not shoot the messenger.
“First, Selene, I owe you an apology.” Alex tries to move towards her and I pull her a little behind my back while she stares at him.
“You were right. We didn't belong together. And you were also right that Cali tried to kill you and Ian.”
The crowd goes quiet.
“I told you!” She moves fast towards her. “You bitch!” I barely grab her hand as she almost has Cali in her grip.
“I said I was sorry.” Cali sits straight up in the couch she was sitting on.
“That's over now. We all need to come together if the two of you want to be married.” Alex quiets Cali.
“It's not over for me.” Selene is so angry that she tries to pull away from me again.
“Stop. Selene, let him talk.” Colin jumps in front of her.
“I didn't ask you for your opinion.” She is about to punch him right in the face when I grab her by the waist, pulling her back to where we were first standing.
“I'm going to deck him and her one day, I swear it!” she says quietly, but loud enough that they could hear her.
“Go on, Alex.” Colin glances at Selene, warning her to keep her mouth shut.
“As I was saying... I know most of you hate me, and I understand that, but when I got home, something changed. Something inside of me changed and I want to help you guys.” He turns to Selene and me.
“What could have possibly made you change so much that you would want to help us? Because the last time you saw us, you wanted
us all dead.” I move close to Alex.
“I know, I know, but I was wrong. Dead wrong and somebody already paid the price for my ignorance.” His eyes turn to Ian.
“Oh because you killed someone. Yea, I could see how that could change your mind.” I move a step closer to him.
“Wait, I didn't actually do that. I just wanted Selene to show she was immortal to the people at the party and have to come here forever. I was wrong. Everything was and did go wrong that night, and this is me trying
to make up for that.”
“I find that admirable.” Cali says with a huge grin across her face.
“Cali shut the hell up.” Iris gets to her this time before anyone else can.
Cali crosses one of her legs over the other and looks as if she is pouting.
“Listen, I found my love and even though it took something like this to happen, I see now why you fight to be together.” He turns to Cali.
“Oh gods.” Ian makes a gagging noise.
“Anyway, I know what the next step is for the two of you, if you’re interested in knowing?” Alex moves to standing face to face with me.
I don't move. I just stand like a statue, not showing any emotion.
“The wedding will be the day after tomorrow, and my father thinks that I will be the one to say no to the two of you getting married. Remember, you only need one objection during the service and you will then have to
prove your love for one another. He is going by the book on this.”
“And?”
“And... I won't be objecting.” He smiles.
“That's your big plan. You're an idiot. Even if you don't object, he will just have someone else do it.”
“No, that's what I am telling you. Only one is allowed to object and he plans on me doing it, and then putting the two of you through the trials.”
“The trials?” Selene asks.
“Yes, if someone is to object to this marriage you will be put through an extreme amount of trials to prove your love for one another. His plan is that once I object, the trials would begin, and by the end, the two of you
would give up.”
“Then what? You marry Selene?” Zack is standing to his feet.
“Yes.” Alex looks ashamed.
“That's not going to EVER happen!” Selene tells Alex.
“I know, but you don't understand. I don't defy my father, and if I wanted you to feel that you would marry me, I could.” Alex looks at her, knowing she does know he could.
“True, you don't deny father, but Selene would never say yes now.” Iris goes to stand beside Zack.
“Okay, I have a better idea, but I am going to need some help.
Volunteers?” Iris asks everyone.
Cato is the first to stand, then Colin, Harper, and soon everyone else.
“Well, that was easy.” She smiles at me.
I was counting on Iris to be the one person I knew would understand love, and what we were going through. I also noticed that Cato stood before Colin. I have a feeling there is something between the two of them, and
that was going to be a fight in itself. But for right now, I needed to focus on Selene and I. Iris begins to explain her plan to all of us, and for once, we all agreed. No one was going to ever be the same after what all was said tonight. Just as we were about to make any real leeway into the plan, there was a knock at the door. We all searched each other’s faces, deciding who wasn't here, that it could be. One conclusion came to mind; it was one of our parents. Cato volunteers to go to the door, while everyone else
scrambles to find the seats they had been sitting in. No one looked guilty.
Yea, right.
“Dad, come in.” I hear Cato saying.
My father comes into the room, staring at all of us.
“I see, well, isn't this cozy.” He asks us.
“Yes, sir. Just hanging out.” Cato tells him.
“Oh, now, son, I don't think you’re being very truthful right now are you?
You get that from your mother.” I now can see how Cato feels towards my dad when he mentioned Medusa, but he doesn't say a word.
“Now, Sebastian, could you please join me outside?” He points to me, but this isn't a request, it's a demand. We walk outside. Me following my father, prepared for whatever may come.
“Sebastian, you and Selene will be married the day after tomorrow. You are ready, aren't you?” He asks me, but the vibe I get is that he wants me to say yes, and prove Zeus wrong.
“I'm ready. We both are.”
“Great. That's great, son. Now, there is only one other thing and I will let you get back to whatever you were doing.”
“Okay.” This part doesn't sound great.
“What in the hell is Alexander doing in the house of Hades?” Now, we get to why he is really here.
“Nothing. Just trying to help.”
“Help with what?” He is persistent.
“I don't know, just trying to make himself look good as usual.” I lie, but it's kind of the truth.
“Hmm...” My father rubs his head.
“I don't like it.” He tells me after contemplating what I
had just told him.
“How did you even know?” I wanted some answers.
“I know everything that happens around me, son. You know this.” My father laughs, but it's not a normal laugh.
It’s more of an “I'm watching you” kind of laugh.
“Okay.”
“Okay, what?”
“Well, you just watch your back. He has his father's tricks, and his mind. You be careful.” He pats me on the arm, and then turns walking away from me.
Before I turn back to walk into the house, he stops and faces me.
“You better hope that you do love that girl, and you better hope she loves you.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that we aren't playing around, and this marriage is for real. If you’re not ready, then you should get out while you can.”
“If I'm not ready? Who the hell is ready at eighteen to be married? But if you’re asking if I love Selene, the answer is yes.” My dad walks back up to where we were standing.
“You listen to me. You may be the rightful heir to my throne, so to speak, but you will not disgrace me. If you can't do what's asked of you, and what's needed of you, then you should know that I won't help you.”
“I never asked you for help, Father. Let's start with that. Second, you have kept secrets from me, obviously, my whole life, and now you want to tell me what I am to do. I'm not your fucking puppet, I'm your son.” We are now in each other's faces and I can feel eyes watching me.
I turn around and see everyone is now standing outside of the house watching us.
“You think you know everything? You think you’re going to talk to me like that? Think again.” Without notice, my father slaps me across the face.
Now, I have two options. I could slap him back, or stand here and show no pain, no mercy. I decide that standing as if he didn't hurt me would be the better option. Cato is now by my side, asking if I'm okay. Then before I can stop him; he is in father's face.
“You think you know him? You think you know me? You don't. You ever hit him like that again and I will bring all your shit to surface, and you know I mean it.” My dad stands there, so angry, his fists are still clinched.
“I see that someone thinks he is going to question my authority. Is that what you’re doing?”
In this case, if Cato is, that means only one thing. My father will win. He always wins.
“So, not that brave are you?” Cato backs off from our father and stands beside me.
“I'm on Sebastian's side. You’re just trying to intimidate him and me for the simple fact that you have no idea if your plan is going to work.” Selene comes and takes my hand in hers.
“You obviously are worried that I don't love Sebastian, but I do.” I shield Selene with my body.
“I know I was told that y
ou may not have the heart to be with my son, and I won't allow anyone to ruin his life.” He moves slowly around me, watching Selene's every movement.
