by Brey Willows
And where did creatures like the one she was watching for come in?
The train slowed and the voice over the intercom announced her station. Mark stood and looked out the window. She was paralyzed with fear. Did she get off and pray the thing wasn’t there, waiting? What if it was?
Pray. Would it work? Zed, or Alec? If she prayed to one, would the other hear her? Alec wasn’t a god, so would prayer work?
She closed her eyes, put her hands together in her lap, and thought, “I don’t know if you can hear me, Zed. God of thunder, eater of Hindu foods. I need you. I need Alec. I need help. Please.”
She opened her eyes and shrugged internally. How did you know if your prayers had been answered?
The train stopped, and the doors opened. Mark looked down at her, his smile kind. “Good to see you, Selene. I don’t know what’s the matter, and I don’t know if you were just praying, but if you were, I bet they answer you. I think they always answer the converted quicker than the jaded believers. Don’t know why, but I think they do.” He squeezed her shoulder and turned to get off the train. “Don’t wait too long, or you’ll miss your stop.”
Shaking, her legs weak, she moved toward the exit. She stepped into the bright sunlight, blinded, able only to see an enormous shadow of a man standing in front of her. She stumbled back, fear making her mute, and her arm was caught in a strong grip, pulling her away from the departing train.
She looked up into Zed’s marble-like face and nearly wept with relief. It worked. Prayer worked. She felt dizzy with wonder and shock.
He put his arm around her and led her to his convertible BMW. “So, want to tell me why a prayer from you set off alarms in the building that have never gone off before?”
She stopped and looked around, feeling far braver with him next to her. “There was a…thing. I don’t know what it was. Nothing Alec has ever introduced me to. It was…evil. Whatever that term means, that’s what it was.”
He frowned, deep lines creasing his face. “Have you seen anything like it before?”
“A few days ago. I told Alec, and she said she was looking into it. These things followed me from my house and onto the freeway. I saw their faces when I got off the exit…I don’t know what they were. Strange eyes. The one on the train today, his eyes were strange too, but I can’t tell you why. And all of his teeth were sharp, yellow. And he hissed.”
Selene stared at the sky, which was quickly turning from blue to thunder clouds. Zed seemed to grow and his voice hurt her ears. “Get in the car.” He took out his phone, and within seconds was issuing orders. “Find Alec. And Ama. And find out where Aka Manah is holed up these days. I’m taking Selene to get some of her things, and then we’ll be back at the office.”
Rain began to fall, big, bullet-like drops, and Selene began to shiver. Zed glanced at her and put the roof up. He flipped on the heat and she quickly felt better.
“Zed? What’s going on? What are those things? Who is Aka Manah?”
“I think it would be better if we answered your questions back at the office, and started looking at some things from a different angle. For now, I’d like you to pack a bag, with enough for at least a week. We can bring you back if you need something else, of course, but the campus might be the best place for you right now.”
Anger, raw and ready, rose within her. “I don’t want to be forced from my home. Can’t you just make them go away?”
He sighed. “The problem with creating a world where we all live in one place, is that no one has the kind of power over their domain they once had. In Greece, in my day, no one dared defy me. Now, at Afterlife, I’m still in charge in a big way. But there are things, other beings, who don’t answer to me, or to anyone. And alone, I’m not entirely sure I’d be able to keep you safe. So, grab your things and we’ll get back to base.” He gave her what she assumed was meant to be a sympathetic look, although with his sharply chiseled features it was hard to tell. “I’m sorry, Selene. Being a demigod isn’t easy.”
Demigod. Half. God. She rolled the words around in her mind, tried to think of the many fables and tales she’d heard about half-god, half-human people. Cozy nights in front of a fire didn’t seem to apply to most of them. Suddenly, she really, really wanted a cozy night in front of the fire.
“The demi bit means you think my father is human. But Alec said no one knows who my father is.”
He nodded. “We’re assuming, because you’re aging normally. Though, now that you’ve been introduced to your real world, that may change. Who knows? The simplest option is that he was human. But we have no idea.”
They pulled up in front of her house, and she ran to the door to avoid the pouring rain, punctuated by sharp cracks of thunder and eyeball-bursting flashes of lightning. But when she went to put her key in the door, it swung open. She hated the craven whimper that came from her, but the knowledge that Zed might not be enough to protect her made her wish Alec were there too.
Zed put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. He pushed the door open and they peered inside together. He held up his free hand and she saw a wicked looking silver lightning bolt appear in it. They entered the house.
Everything looked normal. Nothing was out of place.
But the stench of rot and putrefaction nearly made her vomit.
Zed looked down at her. “Quickly. Get your things. We need to go.”
He followed her into her bedroom and stood guard as she haphazardly threw things into a suitcase, paying little attention to what was there. Given the smell in the house, the clothing might be unwearable anyway. She ducked into the bathroom and half-stifled a scream. Red and black splotches covered the walls in long swipes, as though hideous fingers had trailed paint along every surface. Zed came up behind her.
“Are you ready?” he said, looking around the bathroom. Thunder shook the house.
She swiped the contents on the counter into her toiletries bag, threw it in the suitcase, and nodded. Her heart was pounding so hard she wondered at what point she’d have heart failure.
Zed grabbed her case and she locked the door behind them. Because that’s going to do a lot of good. She got in the car and Zed pulled away.
“You might want to close your eyes. I’m going to get us back quickly, and that doesn’t always work well for human equilibrium.”
She thought back to the myths and what had happened to some of the women Zeus had an interest in. She not only closed her eyes, but covered them with her hands.
It seemed hardly any time passed before Zed said, “You’re okay to look now.”
They pulled into the parking lot at Afterlife, Inc. Selene said, “Will Alec be here?”
“I sent her home to rest hours ago. When she does that, she’s usually dead to the world.” He laughed and the clouds began to lift slightly. A ray of sunshine broke through like a finger pointing at the building. “Not literally, mind you. But I tried to wake her up once, when I was having one of my…tantrums, she called them. And I’ve never been more terrified. So, if she’s asleep, we might just have to wait.”
The thought made Selene ache. She’d had to flee her home, and the only person she truly trusted was a woman with wings and fangs. But that’s exactly who she wanted with her now. “How is it my prayer got through so fast? I mean, I hoped like hell it would, but I didn’t really think…”
He sighed. “You didn’t really think it would, because you’re not really a believer?”
She nodded, sad that he looked so downcast.
“It came through because I had our parameters set to the highest sensitivity with regard to you, so that if anything at all came through from you, it came straight to me. And boy, did it. You set off sensors all over the building, not just in my sector. If I hadn’t come, someone else would have. You might not believe in us as religious beings, but you believe in us because you’ve been around us, you’ve talked to us. You believe in what you can see, and so when you prayed, you were praying to someone you believed in, even i
f it isn’t in the traditional way.”
Selene’s head began to throb, and she felt a migraine imminent. She’d prayed, and had the prayer answered, because the person she was praying to was real. What did that mean for religion as a whole? She thought of Frey’s arguments and wondered what he would make of all this.
“Come on. Let’s get you inside and see who is where. Then we’ll get an idea what to do next.”
She followed Zed inside, and when the glass doors slid shut behind her, she took a deep breath. Safe. For now.
Chapter Twenty-two
Selene kept the bag of ice pressed to her temple. Alone in what appeared to be a staff office space, she lay on the couch trying desperately to get the migraine to ease. She’d taken her medication, but it still felt like an ice pick was being shoved through her head. Although she knew not much time had passed, she wondered how much longer it would be before Alec came to the office. A soft touch on her arm made her jump slightly, and she winced as pain shot through her skull. She moved her arm off her eyes and squinted at the person in front of her.
“Hi. I’m sorry to bother you, but Zed said you had a migraine, and I think I can help.” Ama squatted beside her, looking concerned.
“If you can do anything at all, I’d be incredibly grateful. I can’t function when I’m like this, and sitting in a building full of gods when I’m being chased by…things…doesn’t seem like a great time to be incapacitated.”
Ama laughed softly and brushed hair from Selene’s face. “You couldn’t be much safer than you are here, but point taken. Can you sit up?”
Selene sat up slowly, willing her stomach not to react. It probably wouldn’t be good to vomit in a goddess’s lap. Once upright, she closed her eyes against the waves of pain.
“Good. I’m just going to touch your head and shoulders. Hopefully, you’ll start to feel better soon.”
Ama’s hands were gentle on her forehead, and as her fingertips slid softly down the side of her face, over her jaw, to her neck and then across to her shoulders, Selene felt the tension in her neck and head begin to ease. Ama repeated the motion a few more times, and the pain became nothing more than a manageable ache. She opened her eyes.
“Thank you so much. That feels so much better. I wish you were around all the time!”
Ama shook her head. “I’m sorry it’s not working as it should. You’re special, we know that, and maybe that’s why. It usually only takes a touch, maybe two, before all the pain is gone. May I try a different spot?”
Selene shrugged. “Anything you like.”
Ama motioned her to turn to the side, and she moved to sit behind Selene. She placed the base of her hands against the bottom of Selene’s neck, and the skin quickly grew warm. Selene could feel it tingling all the way down her arms, and the last vestiges of the headache finally left her.
“There. That’s better. Just had to get to the source.”
Selene turned to face her. “I can’t thank you enough. Can I repay you, somehow?”
Ama laughed. “Believe me, it’s in our best interest to keep you healthy.” She looked serious and gave Selene a searching look. “How are you holding up? Really?”
Selene sat back on the sofa and looked at the ceiling, trying to organize her thoughts. “Really? I don’t know. I’m scared, for one. And I’m confused. I feel like I don’t know what’s going on, and every time I turn around it’s as though I’m part of a game no one has told me I’m playing.” She felt tears well up and tried to force them back. “To be honest, it’s quite frustrating.”
Ama leaned back and put an arm around her. “It must all seem very surreal right now. How can I help?”
“Can you explain even a quarter of what’s going on?”
Ama shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you much, no. That’s Alec’s job, and we have to let her do it.”
“Okay, fair enough, I guess. Can you tell me more about Alec, then?”
“That I can do. What do you want to know?”
“Anything. Everything. Have you known her long?” Alec had told her there wasn’t anything between her and Ama, and yet, Selene wondered how Alec would resist such a beautiful, kind woman.
“Alec and I go way back. For a time there was some crossover in our religions, and we developed some beings similar to Alec and her sisters. But as we didn’t have them to begin with, because we were far younger than the religion she came from, she and her sisters stepped in as guides for a while, until our religion settled and decided we had no need for avenging spirits after all. But Alec would still come by and visit occasionally, if she was on my side of the world.”
“What was she like? When she was younger?” You know, younger than the five thousand years she is now…
Ama laughed, full and sweet. “Temperamental! She had the patience of a trapped wasp, and if anything got in her way, she simply moved it. Whether that meant mountains or ships, it didn’t matter. She was truly stunning.”
Selene could hear the admiration in Ama’s voice, and her stomach fell slightly. Had Alec lied to her? “And you two? Were you ever…”
“Goodness, no. Alec is…well, she’s always been…” Ama stopped, clearly searching for the right words. “Selective. She’s always been very discerning in the women she beds, which I can tell you is most unusual in a world like ours.” She tilted her head, her brow furrowed slightly. “But then, she’s also very private. So we might not know as much about her as we think we do.” She rose and gave Selene a smile. “But I can tell you this much. I’ve never seen her so attentive to a woman as she’s been to you. Now that may be because of the situation, or it may be something else. But I like it.”
“And you and Zeus? Have you been together long?” Selene didn’t want Ama to leave. Her presence was so calming, and Selene felt as though she had someone to talk to other than Alec.
“We’ve been together off and on for centuries. His wife isn’t a big admirer of mine, and truth be told, I don’t care for her much either. Fortunately, she took an outside world position, and we don’t have to deal with her much. But it makes sense, Zeus and I. We’re both sky gods, both at the top, both responsible for large numbers of people. I keep him grounded and he gives me…Well, I suppose he gives me passion.” She smiled and winked. “And with that, I should get back to work. Are you okay here on your own?”
Selene nodded, still exhausted. “I think I’ll just go to sleep for a while. Thank you again.”
Ama waved as she left, and Selene lay down, her head pillowed on her arm. She didn’t have much more information on Alec than she’d had before, but somehow, talking to people who knew her made Selene feel that much closer to her. I wish you were here.
Selene closed her eyes and drifted into a dreamless sleep.
*
Alec woke from a deep sleep, the words reverberating in her head. I wish you were here. It was as though Selene had spoken right into her ear. She bolted from bed and grabbed her phone. Five missed calls and three missed texts.
Z: Need you in office now.
Z: I know I told you to rest. But problems with Selene.
Z: Wake up, you lazy old bat.
What the Hades? Alec hit the speed dial for Zed. “What’s going on? What do you mean problems with Selene? Is she okay?”
“If you didn’t sleep the way you do, you’d know. I’ve always told you to have Heph make you some kind of alarm that would wake—”
“Zed, is Selene safe? Don’t irritate me.”
He laughed and she held the phone away from her ear. She’d been fairly even-tempered for centuries, but she was finding that when it came to Selene, nothing was certain, not even her own patience.
“She’s fine. But I did have to go to her place to get her. Alec, we think she’s being followed by daevas.”
Alec sat down, trying to work through what Zed had said. “Seriously? What makes you think that?”
“Well, apparently, she saw a few of them the other day, the things you asked
the research team about. And when one was on the train with her today, the poor thing decided prayer was her only option. Fortunately, I heard her and got there in time. But the damn things left a nasty mess in her house.”
“Where is she now?” Alec moved quickly through her place, pulling on clothes and transforming to her more human-like state.
“She’s sleeping in the staff room, safe and sound. She had a migraine Ama took care of, and then she went back to sleep. But she’s been asking for you.”
Alec grabbed her keys and headed to the Hummer. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.” She hung up and headed for work. The thought that Selene had been in trouble, serious trouble, if it really was daevas, and she not only hadn’t known, but hadn’t been there for her, made Alec want to punch, or kill, something. She settled for pounding her fist on the steering wheel, which dented slightly but didn’t bend.
When she pulled up outside Afterlife, she looked around. Although no one seemed to be there, she could feel a presence that wasn’t one of theirs. She growled slightly before heading inside. Cerberus was in her true form, and Alec gave her a scratch behind her ears and smiled slightly when her back leg twitched. “Keep an eye out, okay? Something isn’t right.”
Cerberus gave her a lick from the middle head, while the right one tried to put her head out for another scratch. The third head stayed turned toward the front door.
Alec headed straight for Zed’s office. When Selene woke, she’d want information, and Alec needed to be able to give it to her.
“Do we know anything more?”
“Hello to you too. I’m fine, thank you.” Zed didn’t look up from his computer. “And, yes. We’ve located Chandra. But we don’t have any more information on Selene’s new friends.”
“That’s something. Where’s Chandra?”
“Lake Nemi, Italy.”
“Trust her to go somewhere with a lake dedicated to her. Can you get me a specific location?”
