Sin City Goddess

by Annino, Barbra

She led us to a quiet cove with very little traffic. We sat down on a silk bench. Cerberus lay down at our feet, his enormous head resting on his lion-sized paws.

  “What is your mission?” Thalia asked.

  I explained about the missing women, the dead girl, and Alecto’s disappearance.

  Her hand fluttered to her mouth. “Oh, Tisiphone, I’m so sorry.” Her gaze fell to the floor. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost one of my sisters.”

  “I assure you I intend to bring Alex home unharmed.” My voice was more stern than I had planned it to be.

  Thalia said, “Of course. I meant no disrespect.”

  I put my hand up. “Please, say no more. I’m just edgy.”

  I rubbed my hands on my thighs. Thalia waited patiently for me to continue. I was grateful she wasn’t trying to make light of the situation by cracking jokes, as was her gift.

  “First, I need to know if you have easy access to return to Olympus.”

  Thalia looked even more concerned. “Of course. Except for the high gods, those of us with replicas here have the ability to slip in and out at will, as long as the travel is approved by the Fates.”

  “Well, that might be a problem, since I have no way to contact them.”

  “My work here is with a comedian on a six-month tour. I’m permitted to travel freely once per month, round-trip.”

  “And have you used up your stipend this month?”

  “No.”

  Excellent! “All right. I need you to listen very carefully.”

  The petite Grace inched forward. I explained about the gate, how the humans had likely closed it by now but a few residents of Tartarus had already escaped. “I killed a Stymphalian just this morning. I’m afraid it destroyed one of the portals during the attack.”

  Thalia’s eyes widened at this news. “So, then, the Graces statue is the only one left?”

  “Unless you know of another one.”

  “That’s the only one I’ve ever used.” She picked at a perfectly manicured nail. “It’s not as strong as the other portal was, I’m afraid. Graces do not have the power of the higher gods.”

  That was what I was afraid of. Athena had warned me about the city and how its energy sucked the power from the portals. She had cautioned that I had but a short window to find Alecto and return the three of us—Archer, and Alex, and me—home. Alecto’s trip was on a tight schedule, and under the laws of the Fates, the punishment for breaking that schedule was cutting the tether to Olympus, which meant she could not return. No excuses. Athena had also warned that the new moon would deplete the energy it would take to bring the three of us home.

  We were running out of time.

  Thalia said, “The bird. You think it escaped through the gate?”

  “I believe so. That isn’t all.” I explained Hecate’s theory about the five moons of Pluto ritual and told her about the solar eclipse that was coming, and how perhaps this whole thing centered on that. I told her about Lamia too.

  She gasped. “How is that possible?”

  “Perhaps a mortal called to her, and when the gate opened, she was able to slither out.”

  “But the gods, Charon, how could they not have known? How could they not have stopped her?”

  I hesitated. Should I tell her my thoughts? That perhaps a god was betraying Olympus? That a mortal might be working with a god? I decided right now she was my best chance of reaching them, so I had to.

  Thalia absorbed this bit of information. “Do you suppose there’s a hecatomb coming?”

  A hecatomb was a large-scale sacrifice to the gods that mortals believed would appease them. We had worked very hard to kill the practice, and it had died out ages ago.

  “Doubtful. That belief was squelched. Besides, it was thought that one needed at least a hundred animals or humans to perform the ritual.”

  “All right, Tisiphone. I will make contact with Hermes to warn Hades. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible, but first I think it best to warn the others. Molpe the Siren and Rumour are both here as well.”

  At the mention of Rumour’s name, my face instinctively set into a scowl.

  Thalia whispered, “I don’t care for her either, but it must be done. Besides, she is related to you, after all. You’ll need more Underworld forces when battling Underworld demons.”

  “She’s part demon herself, thanks to her dark heart.” Rumour reveled in telling tales, even if they were untrue. As long as they stirred up trouble, she flapped her tongue to anyone who would lend an ear. She was a hateful shrew whom I despised.

  “Even so,” Thalia said.

  “Fine.”

  Thalia stood up. “Come. Molpe is performing at Treasure Island. If we hurry, we may be able to catch her before her show. Then we can find your cousin.”

  Cerberus stirred. A low growl rumbled deep in his throat. He was staring at something.

  I followed his gaze to a painting of Hades. Cerberus inched closer, practically crawling to his god.

  I trailed him.

  “What is it?” Thalia asked.

  “I’m not sure.”

  Cerberus was snarling, spittle pouring from his snapping jaws.

  I looked at the painting, trying to see what the beast could see.

  Hades was perched on his throne, listening to the concerns of the dead. He held his staff in his left hand, and the silver threads embedded in his black velvet robe glinted in the moonlight that shined through the window.

  It was a remarkable likeness. Closer to the real thing than any I had seen in the entire palace, right down to his coffee-toned skin.

  I saw no reason for the hound’s reaction, so I lit the flame of truth in my sight.

  Through that filter, I was able to detect that the dark lord was not wearing his crown.

  Behind him glowed a pair of yellow eyes.

  Chapter 36

  I spoke with Archer on the portable telephone and told him where I was going. He told me that he had tried to trace the number Sam had given him for the suspect, but that it was a disposable phone, so there was no address linked to it. He told me that he was planning to pay a visit to Tommy in an attempt to gain more information about the man who was snatching the women and the loose juice, and perhaps to learn more about his own murder.

  The sun seemed even brighter today, despite its being early evening. I ate my granola bar as Thalia chatted on about her visit, her mission with the comedian, and her success in inspiring him. I supposed that upon having heard about my suspicion that Lamia was planning to overthrow Hades, she had become a bit nervous.

  I couldn’t blame her.

  Cerberus stopped to drink from a fountain. When a man tried to shoo him away, the hound told him in no uncertain terms that he would do as he pleased. I realized he was likely hungry, so we popped into an eatery and ordered six hamburgers for him. He gobbled them up on a bench near the Strip, as the mortals called it, and we headed off toward Treasure Island.

  I heard the Siren’s song before we arrived.

  Thalia said, “I fear we’re too late. The performance lasts twenty minutes, so it shouldn’t be long before we can speak with Molpe.”

  Around the corner was a large crowd gathered in front of two massive pirate ships surrounded by water. I couldn’t smell the salty air of the sea, so it must have been fresh water. The vessel on the left was covered in thick ropes that crisscrossed each other, with a staircase that spiraled up the center, leading to a lookout. I noticed two long planks protruding from the ship, one on the top level, one near the ship’s deck. The ship on the left had red sails with black X’s in the center of them. It wasn’t lit up as brightly as the other vessel. There were cannons poking out from the sides of that ship.

  A female voice called out over a speaker.

  “Gather round, ye seafarers, and come enjoy the song. The beauty of the Sirens is as fair as the day is long. Stay a spell and watch our show, as the Sirens dance and delight. For a pirate’s ship is about to collide with the Sir
ens’ cove tonight.”

  Soft music began to play, and someone whom I could not see broke into a haunting melody. It was pure auditory beauty.

  Women clad in not much more than skimpy shorts and bras danced seductively onto the ship that was lit. A spotlight shone on a man in a pirate costume standing in the center of the spiral staircase.

  “Where am I?” he shouted.

  There was laughter, long and mocking.

  “You don’t know?” said the voice that had been singing.

  The dancing girls stopped, pointed, and giggled at the man. A few pirouetted around the ship’s deck, waving their arms in invitation.

  “Tell him, sisters!”

  The music changed to a fast beat, and the dancers broke out into a high-energy song. They danced around the man, luring him to join them, but he shook his head. He held fast to the rail of the staircase.

  “Well, now, that’s not very polite,” said the female I still could not see. “If you dare to enter a Sirens’ cove, then you must play with us. Isn’t that right, ladies?”

  The dancers broke into another routine, climbing the ropes, reaching out to the man, tugging at his clothes.

  “I am a pirate under the command of Captain Blake Falcon. I demand you release me.”

  “Oh, well, if you demand it,” said the sultry voice.

  A curtain dropped from the highest lookout point. There stood Molpe, wearing a shiny silver costume, her golden hair sailing behind her, her hands on her hips. “But first, a little fun.”

  She broke into another song, dancing her way down the staircase until she met the pirate. She gyrated her hips around him, and the two of them moved back and forth to the music.

  When the music stopped, the pirate shook his head as if coming out of a spell. He ran down several steps, then looked up. She crooked her finger at him, and he made his way back up one step.

  “Come on, lover boy,” she cooed.

  He ran all the way back down, and the Siren made her way down to the second lookout.

  The music began again. I was looking forward to hearing Molpe sing. Her voice was hypnotic.

  When she didn’t, I was surprised.

  And so, apparently, was the rest of her crew. The dancers scrambled to keep the show going, but it seemed as if Molpe had forgotten her role.

  She stood there, dazed.

  Then she climbed up the stairs and out onto the highest plank.

  Thalia said, “Something’s wrong.”

  I lit the fire in my eyes and stared at Molpe. She was straining to hear something, I could tell, but without being able to hear her speak, I had no idea what had her distracted.

  She tilted her chin down toward the waters.

  The actors were growing ever more concerned. I saw one signal to a security guard, who spoke into an electronic device.

  The flame still vibrant in my sight, I scanned the waters for a clue. That’s when I saw it.

  “Thalia, it’s a lymnade. There.” I pointed to the water demon. Its talent was mimicking the cries of loved ones, sending those who followed the call to their deaths.

  Molpe stepped to the end of the plank and dove.

  Chapter 37

  I didn’t hesitate. My wings erupted behind me. I leaped onto the thick ropes that kept the crowd at bay, rocketed off them, and flew to snatch Molpe just before she reached the jaws of the eager demon. It spat at us, shooting a stream of steaming water into the air and spraying the crowd with it. Most people gasped, some clapped, some snapped photographs.

  “I’ve got you, Siren,” I said to Molpe. “Do what you do best—let’s make it a good performance.”

  Molpe blinked her eyes once or twice, nodded, then opened her mouth to share her gift. As she sang, I flew around the ship a time or two, then deposited her on the highest lookout. She continued singing, and the dancers picked up the cue, not sure what to make of the incident or of me but knowing the show must continue.

  I kept flying, searching for the demon again. It was just a moment before I saw its ugly, scaly green head and black eyes pop out of the water. Its jaws were moving, and I noticed a man, obviously bespelled, drifting dangerously close to the edge of the dock, a camera loose at his side.

  I squeezed Indigo and shot down toward the water demon, and she set its head ablaze. It screeched in pain, succumbing to the dragon’s power. Its jaws stopped moving after a few fruitless snaps. Then it oozed into a heaping pile of seaweed, slipping deep beneath the surface of the water.

  How many more demons had escaped when the humans had opened the gate? Was someone—some god—purposely sending them through?

  How would I ever focus on finding my sister if my task was being foiled by one of my own?

  The crowd burst into whistles, catcalls, and applause. I caught Thalia’s eyes and tilted my head toward the Venetian hotel across the way, and the Grace nodded. I hovered for a moment, looked at Molpe—who winked, signaling she had caught that—and disappeared behind the building. I landed near a Dumpster of trash, tucked my wings away, and waited for Molpe, Thalia, and Cerberus to join me.

  As I paced, my fury built. This whole thing was a kaleidoscope of sewage, and I was standing in the middle of it. I was growing tired of dealing with demons. It was as if this entire thing had been planned—the kidnappings, my sister, the escape.

  But by whom?

  And for what purpose? Lamia couldn’t possibly have orchestrated all of this. Her mind was too diseased for such an elaborate plot. She had to have had help. Or perhaps someone had wanted to partner with her, and in exchange, her reward would be assistance in overthrowing Hades.

  I didn’t have all the pieces of the puzzle, and that infuriated me. I wasn’t used to these types of cases. I was used to knowing the facts before I chased suspects. I was used to having more open access to the gods. One thing I knew for certain: when this was all over, I was going to urge Athena to work on better communication methods. Perhaps the Google that Archer always mentioned. Or that electronic-mail system he had told me about.

  Thalia, Molpe, and Cerberus showed up then.

  Molpe clasped my hand in hers. “Thank you, dark one. I am indebted to you.”

  “Nonsense. It is my job to protect and serve.”

  Thalia shuffled nervously. “Tisi, look who’s here.”

  She stepped aside, and Rumour emerged from behind her.

  Oh, lords, give me the patience not to stab her with my sword.

  Rumour was fairer skinned than most gods of the Underworld. She had perfectly straight teeth, a perfectly cut bob, and a perfectly foul sense of fun.

  “There’s my favorite cousin.” She stepped forward to hug me, reeking of rose petals. I put my hand up.

  “No,” I said.

  Rumour smirked. “Still don’t like to be touched, is that it?”

  “I don’t like to be burned, Cousin.”

  Aside from the falsehoods she spread all around Olympus, the pain she caused, the disruption, Rumour had testified against me at my trial. Said there was a cover-up, that I didn’t even have the right man. She had made a mess of things that took ages for the Fates to sift through.

  Rumour stuck her lower lip into a pout. “Aw, still sore about that stupid trial? You really should learn to let go of grudges, Tisiphone.”

  I advanced on her, ready to grab her throat, but Thalia stepped between us.

  “Tisi, remember why we are here.”

  I closed my eyes, called on the meditation that Athena had taught me, and calmed my fury.

  “We need to go someplace to talk,” I said.

  “How about your place?” Rumour asked. “I’ve been dying for a look at the high gods’ suite.” She smiled wickedly. “Plus, I hear you’re keeping a delicious mortal in there that you don’t want to share with the rest of the class.”

  I really wished someone would cut her tongue out. It was my understanding that the room Archer and I shared was reserved for high gods and those who served them. Lesser deities, such as t
he Muses and the three standing before me, were accommodated elsewhere.

  But I wanted Rumour nowhere near Archer. Besides, we had a meeting in a short while with the man who was targeting the women. I felt it wasn’t safe for any of them to be in his presence.

  “That’s not an option.” I glared at Rumour so she knew I meant business.

  Thalia said, “There’s a small café around the corner. It usually isn’t too crowded at this hour.”

  We followed Thalia to the café, where there were a few tables spread outside. A tired-looking waitress took our order, and Cerberus curled around my feet.

  Thalia and I took turns explaining to Rumour and Molpe what was happening. The kidnappings, Alecto, Lamia, the gate, all of it. Somewhere in the middle of our story, the waitress (I learned they didn’t like to be called servants) brought our coffee.

  Rumour snorted when we were finished. “Come now, Tisi. Lamia is no match for Hades. And as for your sister, well”—she looked me straight in the eye—“you know Alecto has probably just gone rogue. Probably got sick of bedding all the gods of the Underworld, so she wanted to try her hand at the mortals. Maybe she wanted her tether to break.”

  I reached over and slapped her across the face.

  Molpe lurched back and Thalia jumped. “Tisi!” said the Grace.

  But I wasn’t listening. I kicked a chair out of the way and advanced on Rumour.

  She rubbed her cheek. “You will pay for that, Cousin, I promise you.”

  I narrowed my eyes at her. I could feel a vein throb in my head, and my wings were vibrating. “Have you no shame? No compassion? No loyalty to your own people?”

  “And what have my people ever done for me, huh, Tisiphone?” She flicked her eyes to Thalia, then Molpe. “I have not the gift of music, of comedy, of poetry.” She returned her gaze to me. “I have not the duty of discipline. Of setting the course of history right where the humans have failed. The Fates never saw fit to bestow upon me any such talent save for my tongue, and that is what I use.”

  I took a deep breath and moved closer. Her defiant chin was inches from mine. I could smell the coffee she had ordered on her lips.