by M. R. Polish
“That would be the first good thing I’ve heard from you,” Brady said. “I think it’s good anyway.”
“Wonderful, can you please tell us what you are doing here, outside our room?” Karis gestured to the door.
Hermes nodded. “Of course, I thought it would be obvious, but I’m here to help. You are looking for the others. Correct?”
Karis’s pulse quickened. “You know where they are?”
He chortled. “If I knew where they all were, would I be here alone? No, I know that Poseidon is probably in the ocean, but that’s a given. Hades, well, he’s probably somewhere… south. And Zeus, well, who knows with him. He could be anywhere.”
“Okay, then how do you expect to help us?” Karis asked, shifting her weight under her impatience.
Hermes looked around with a mischievous look. “You know, I’m also known as the patron of travelers, I have an ability to help people while on their journeys. I also have been known to persuade or trade my way out of trouble.”
“Hermes?” Atty cried as she rounded the corner. She ran to meet him. “I haven’t seen you forever, but you haven’t changed a stitch. Look at you, all covert looking. I taught you well.”
He chuckled. “I see you’re still robust and in good health, Athena.”
It was her turn to laugh. “I go by Atty now.”
Azul strolled up. “I assume he’s another historical figure?”
Brady coughed a laugh. “Azul, meet Hermes. Hermes, this is Azul. Hermes was the messenger of the gods.”
Azul rolled his head back. “Did history get nothing right? You’re serious, aren’t you? I can’t believe these are the gods we have to deal with. Between him and Dion this isn’t looking too promising.”
Brady nodded. “I hate agreeing with you, but I have to.” He looked at Atty and Karis, then down at Hermes. “We aren’t having much luck finding an army.”
“Don’t discredit me based on my size alone. Have you seen what I can do? How cunning and tricky I can be? You didn’t even know that I’ve followed you for over a day now. Did you even think before your little episode on the beach the other day?”
Karis blushed and Brady’s hands clenched into fists. “Someone your size should watch how he talks to someone my size.”
“Okay boys, I think that’s enough for right now. Why don’t you two go freshen up, get some air, breathe just a bit. Then, we can all meet again, fill Hermes in on what’s going on, and see what he might know that could help. He’s a lot more than what you see. Trust me.” Atty shooed them away with her hands. “Go on, I’ll take care of him.”
Brady unlocked the door and held it open for Karis. His eyes never left Hermes. They were locked in a glowering stare. Karis pulled on Brady’s arm. “Come on, just let it go. He’s not worth it.”
Brady let the door close heavily. It echoed in the room. “That guy is a jerk. I could sense it right off the bat.” Walking to the window, he made sure the curtains were as closed as they could be and turned the air on high.
Karis came up behind him and placed a hand on each of his shoulders. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his neck. “Don’t let him get to you. Atty’s right, he might have some information that he wouldn’t tell us in the hall. Right now, we can use all the support we can get. Marin isn’t going to let us just waltz into Baratrum. We need the help.”
Reaching up, he placed a hand over hers. “You’re right. But, he’s not my favorite.”
She laughed. “Thankfully, you don’t have to be best friends with him.”
He sighed deeply. “I just can’t help but wonder who else knows you’re here. If that little piece of crap knew who you were, then who else does?”
“I don’t know, but I can’t be hidden forever. I have a role to play in this just as you do, and so does everyone else. We all have a responsibility in this war.” She backed down off her toes. “Besides, as long as we have each other does it matter who knows I’m here?”
He turned to look at her. His face softened. Because not everyone who knows you, is here for you, he said in her mind.
Karis brushed her hands down the soft fabric of the dress and glanced one more time in the mirror. Her head hurt and she felt her energy was all but spent, but she wasn’t about to tell Brady or any of the others. How could she tell them that she was afraid whoever had her necklace was draining her of her powers? No. She couldn’t. She held her head high and walked out with a smile on her face.
Brady waited for her, taking her hand as she emerged from the restroom. “Beautiful doesn’t describe you. I wish we had more time. I’d like to see how that dress comes off.”
She laughed. “Mmmm. That does sound better than getting together with everyone. I suppose dinner could wait?” She swayed her hips as she stepped closer. Maybe she could get him to stay in with her and afterwards they could sleep. Sleep. Just the word sounded heavenly.
He swallowed hard and she could see the desire swell in the pool of his eyes. “You make me want to throw out all responsibility and throw you on the bed, but we need to be there.” He lowered his face to hers. “But, after dinner you’re mine,” he said in a husky whisper in her mine.
She had a hard time not showing her disappointment. As selfish as it was, she just wanted life to be her, him, and nothing else for at least twenty-four hours. After that, the entire universe could ask her to carry the worlds again. She just wanted one night. “You better make that a promise,” she whispered back.
His lips caressed hers and he held her close, running his hand up and down her back. She could feel how badly he wanted her through the thin material of her dress and she pressed harder. “I love you,” he said as he pulled back, resting his forehead on hers.
Reaching up, she trailed the back of her hand down his rough cheek. “And I love you.”
Brady cleared his throat and tried to compose himself before opening the door. “Magnus and Alexis were going to go with Atty and meet us there. So it’s just you and me.”
Karis chuckled. “I wonder how Alexis handled that.”
“Last I heard, she threatened Atty within an inch of her life that the radio stays down.” Brady made sure the door closed and locked behind them.
A hand clamped around Karis’s mouth and she screamed despite the lack of air. She watched with wide eyes as another intruder wrestled with Brady, until he went limp and fell to the floor. The man shook out a rag he’d held to Brady’s mouth and stuffed it into his pocket.
Karis struggled against the strong arms that encircled her. She needed to get to Brady. She was out of strength and her powers were fading, there was nothing she could do that would help. Stomping on the attacker’s foot, she wormed out from his grasp and turned, laying an upper cut to his jaw. Maybe training with Brady and Azul back in Aridam hadn’t been a complete waste of time. But, there were two of them and she was weak.
Brady stirred on the floor, mumbling something she couldn’t hear. At least he was alive. The thought alone gave her a renewed burst of energy to hold her ground a little longer. The other guy rushed at her and she ducked, sweeping her leg out, tripping him. She barely had time to stand when the first man reached for her. She thrust her foot out, landing a hard kick to his stomach.
Come on, Brady. I can’t hold them off forever. I need you. She didn’t know what the guy made him breathe to pass out like that, but whatever it was, was potent enough to bring him down fast. A hand with a rag clamped down on her mouth from behind. She squirmed and twisted trying to break free of the hold. She held her breath as long as she could before gasping, inhaling the bitter scent of alcohol mixed with something she couldn’t place. Was it valerian? The hallway spun and her eyes were so heavy she couldn’t even fight to keep them open.
“Take her to the car,” Hades said as he emerged from the corner.
The first man nodded. “What about him?”
Hades looked down at Brady. “Leave him. He’s of no importance to me.”
The black car waited for the
m outside of the hotel. Hades slid into the back with Karis. He grinned as he swept the loose strands of hair from her face. Finally, she was on Earth. All of his plans could go forth now. He tipped his head as he studied her. It wasn’t hard to see why everyone fought over her. She was definitely a beauty. One not to be shared. He wondered if she knew how special she truly was.
“Okay, Boss, now where?” the driver asked.
Hades pulled Karis over so her head rested on his lap. “Home.”
Chapter Nine
Brady groaned as he lifted his head. What happened? He couldn’t remember. His mouth was dry and burned as he breathed. Karis. Where was she? Was she okay? He got up on all fours and balanced himself as he tried to stand. He had to find her.
Those men came out of nowhere and whatever they drugged him with gave him no chance or time to react. It must have been planned. There was no way a random thief would be able to pull that off. He stumbled as he searched the hall for any signs of Karis. Why would they take her? Where did they take her?
Punching the wall didn’t help lower his frustration. “Damn it,” he said through clenched teeth. Using his inner strength and speed, he ran to the truck, throwing open the door. Slamming the shifter in reverse, he peeled out, backing out of the parking lot, and then while the truck was still speeding backward he shifted into first. Dodging cars and no respect for the speed limit, he sped through the small ocean-side town in a blur as he raced to the restaurant where everyone waited.
He didn’t have the truck in park before Azul dashed out of the diner. “What’s going on? Where’s Karis?” He had heard Brady’s thoughts when he rounded the corner and pulled in to the parking lot.
Storming to the truck, he flung open the driver’s side door. “Where is she?” His pulse pounded in his ears. For so long he grieved for her, he didn’t think he could do it again.
“I don’t know.” Brady’s entire body shook.
Azul grabbed Brady by the collar of his shirt and pulled him from the vehicle. “You said you’d protect her!”
Brady swung and hit Azul in the jaw. He knew what he promised. He didn’t need a reminder of how he failed. Another fist landed on Azul’s upper cheek.
“Enough!” Atty yelled, marching up to the men and putting herself in between them. “I don’t know what in the hell is going on, but fighting each other won’t solve it. We’re on the same team. Remember?”
Brady backed up, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Azul had gotten a good hit in to make him bleed. “Karis is gone. Some guys took her.”
“What guys?” Alexis asked as she neared the group. Magnus was with her, leading her with his hand on her back. His concern etched his face, making him look older than he was.
Brady gritted his teeth and shook his head. “I don’t know. They used some sort of drug on me before I could fight them.”
“How did they sneak up on you? You know we’re in a war. Why did you let your guard down?” Azul paced angrily. His Shamike accent leaked through, giving his Y’s a longer sound than they needed to be.
“We were leaving the hotel room. When I turned to make sure the door was locked, a rag was pressed to my mouth and that’s the last thing I remember.” If Brady could kick his own ass, he would. He replayed the scene over and over in his mind on the drive to the restaurant, and each time he knew he should have been more alert. Whatever happened to Karis was his fault. He’d own that.
“Well, fighting about what happened or what should have happened won’t help Karis right now. We need to follow the trail while it’s still warm, so to speak.” Atty kicked a rock, sending it skipping across the pavement. “Crap. We really need Zeus. Brady, you’re gonna have to get Poseidon. It’s the only hope we have to find Zeus and save Karis.”
“Hell no! I’m not going to go swimming around the ocean while she’s out there with who knows who.” His heart rate pulsed so loud in his head, he thought it would explode. What would he do if something happens to her? He ran his hands through his hair and tried to slow down his breathing.
Atty slowly approached him, touching his forearm. “Brady, it might be the only thing that saves her. We don’t know who has her, or what they want. But, we can safely assume that they are not from Earth.”
He spit and cursed under his breath. “I need to go after her. We can’t just wait until we find Poseidon or whoever to find her. That could be too late.”
“I agree, it might be too late as it is. We’re wasting time. Brady you go find Poseidon and I’ll go after Karis,” Azul said, glaring at Brady.
Brady’s arm burned. Covering it with his hand, he realized it wasn’t his arm, but his tattoo—the same one that bonded Karis to him. She needed him. Damn it. He didn’t know what to do.
“Brady,” Magnus said. “Atty’s right. You’re the only one who has the Syrenae gift. No one else can go find Poseidon but you. Alexis and I will stay with you, Atty and Azul can go after Karis.”
Brady looked at his uncle and nodded. Magnus was wise and knew how he felt about Karis. He wouldn’t tell him to do something if it weren’t the right thing to do. Brady needed to listen to him because anger clouded his own judgment.
“It appears I’ve arrived at the right time,” Hermes said. He leaned against the tire of the rental truck Brady drove.
“You,” Brady hissed through clenched teeth. “Nothing happened until you got here. You could be working for the other side for all we know. She could be missing because of you.”
Hermes chuckled. “You just want someone else to blame so you don’t feel the guilt over not protecting Karis.”
Brady lunged at him. “You son of a…”
“Brady!” Alexis yelled. “I know you’re upset, but right now we need to focus on what will help Karis.”
He balled his hands into fists and restrained himself from laying the little man out cold. “You’re right. I’m going.” He jumped into the truck and started it up.
Magnus and Alexis slid in next to him. “It’s gonna be okay. We’ll find her,” Magnus reassured.
Brady didn’t like the plan. Hell, he hated it. Leaving Azul to go find Karis bothered him more than any of it did. That was his job. He should be the one to go after her. He hit the steering wheel. Poseidon had better have answers.
Chapter Ten
Karis blinked, trying to focus her eyes in the dim lighting. It sounded as if there was a riot going on outside the room she was in with all the yelling and cursing, and a few thuds banged against the wall. After her eyes adjusted, she could make out the small office. The leather couch she was on smelled like sweat, making her cringe. She sat up and a thin wool blanket fell to the cement floor.
“What’s going on?” she whispered, holding a hand to her head. Her body felt like rubber, barely holding her up. Tiny vibrations flittered through her veins as if every inch of her fell asleep and was trying to wake up. Karis groaned. She hurt everywhere.
The door swung open and a man who could rival the statues of the Greek Gods walked in. The tailored jacked he wore fit snug against his arms. It hung open, revealing a black satin shirt left half undone. His blonde hair was longer on top and purposely messed up, tousled in different directions.
His mouth curved into a grin as he gazed over her, making Karis feel completely underdressed in her dress. “I’m glad to see you’re finally awake.”
“Where am I?” A cold chill swept through the room and briskly rushing over her bare skin, and sending a shiver to course down her entire body all the way through her fingertips.
“Fair question. Not the first one I thought you’d ask, but definitely fair.” He took a seat in the tall backed leather chair behind the desk and propped his feet up on the cherry wood. “Underground,” he said.
The growing unease in her stomach flipped. “What do you mean, underground?”
“I assumed you’d know, seeing as how you’ve been with Brady and all.” He lit a cigar, puffing on it until the end glowed red.
She glared a
t him, hating his circuitous answers. “Fine. Who are you?”
He pulled his feet off the desk and sat up, smiling. “Now that is the question I was waiting for. I’m Hades.”
“Hades?” she asked, confused. Why would he kidnap her? Wasn’t she looking for others like him to help her?
“Ah, I see that my name precedes me,” he said with a smirk. “I’ve gotten used to it over the years though. Actually, it’s very fitting. You see, I am much like the myths say. Aside from being the keeper of the dead and all.”
“Why did you kidnap me?” Her body weighed down even more, making it hard for her to keep her chin up. But, she refused to show Hades how depleted she really was.
“Because I need you,” he said without reservation. He put the cigar down in a glass ashtray. “Or rather, you have what I need.”
With her heart pounding in her ears, Karis hoped she could hide the chaos inside of her. What did she have that would be so important that he had to kidnap her? She had nothing. She’d been on the island for so long that material items were something she didn’t possess.
“Your silence isn’t reassuring.” Hades picked up the cigar and puffed on it.
“What did you expect?” She’d give anything to be able to hear his thoughts. Why she only heard Brady’s was nice, yet irritating. Especially when she sat in the same room as the supposed Greek God of the underworld.
He chuckled. “Well, with someone of your reputation, I assumed a little more fire.”
She scoffed. “Fire? I’m not sure what you’ve heard about my reputation to make you think that.” The nerve of that man. She wanted to show him a little more fire, but her lack of energy held her back.
“Are you, or are you not the Queen of Shamike?” he asked, still gnawing on the stubby cigar.
Karis glanced at the floor. What did she tell him? If he knew of her, then he must know about her plights and how many desired her throne. “Well, not officially. If you know about me, then you know I was banished.”
