Respect.
I have had shunning, and awe, and fascination, and curiosity, and all kinds thrown at me. But respect… I bask in the feel of it for a moment, then gesture to the next soul, a little girl.
These are my people, and this…is where I finally belong. No longer hiding in the shadows, but front and center, leading in my own way.
With kindness and respect.
Eons later…
The sound of my footsteps is loud, too loud as I rush to make the audience hall. Ileana didn’t give me enough warning, but then again, the fault does not lie with her. I would have stayed behind, even if I’d had more time, because I needed to make sure Persephone would be protected. I cannot risk her, not now, not ever. I will not be responsible for another Olympian’s death.
I reach the doors, pausing. So long ago, I was exiled here. It had been the best thing to happen to me. And then the fight landed at my doorstep. Was it one particular thing? No. It was many. But the last thing, the one drop that toppled the vase, was one zmeu’s desire to overthrow the old order. To get revenge for centuries of wrongdoing at the hands of immortals, and his own brother.
Unfortunately, the reckless Carpathian dragon shifter didn’t realize the extent of his mistake until it was too late.
And now we will all pay, unless we work together.
Zeus’ voice echoes from within, ominous with accusation and withheld contempt. “I asked a question, and I demand an answer.”
That, more than anything, gets me moving. I push the doors open and walk in.
The vast hall stretches before me like a mausoleum. Thick Greek columns on each side support a domed archway. Gold litters the floor, moving and slithering through the white marble as if it’s alive. A deadly silence reigns in the gathered audience. And in the center, facing Zeus himself, are my old guardians, their backs to me.
Zeus’ eyes narrow on me. “Hades? I take it you cleaned up your Underworld without my help, then?”
I never needed your damned help. I bite down the words, taking a deep breath.
Then I step to Ileana’s side, glaring at him. “Not quite, brother. In fact, that is why we are here.”
Frumos, silent until then, drops to one knee. Ileana joins him, also kneeling. Only when Zeus gestures for them to say their piece does she speak again.
“Mighty Zeus, we come in peace, and warning. Tartarus has been breached, and all the pantheons are in danger.”
Dead silence is replaced by a pandemonium of chaos. Their thoughts assail me, driving me crazy in a familiar way. It has been a while since I have been around such deities, with such power.
Still, I clench my fists, drawing in steady breaths, learning to block them out.
“Enough,” I say. My voice, though quiet, reverberates in the mausoleum, and they all fall silent, one by one. “Not many of you will remember that, eons ago, I was banished to the Underworld. I made it my home. I protected Tartarus. And when the Titans broke out weeks ago, I made sure to shove them back in.”
Zeus smirks, ready to take credit for that, but I butt in before he has a chance.
“Long ago, you all made the decision to drop your evils in Tartarus. Because they had learned to escape your prisons, and you were starting to lose your grips on them. And I helped. I offered the suggestion to have all the enchantments in one spot. And it worked. For many centuries, for millennia, even, we were safe.” I pause, gazing at each god in turn. “Now, it is me who is losing my grip. And unless we all work together, our realms, and the human one, will be destroyed.”
A familiar face steps out of the crowd, dressed in green—Morrigan. She promised me that when shit hit the fan, I would have her help. And she’s here, keeping that promise. “How can we help?”
“We need to neutralize these foes, once and for all!” Thor says. “Enough is enough. They claimed my friend’s life long ago.”
“No.” Shocked eyes turn to me, questions rising in everyone’s thoughts. They are not used to me being this in control. But the joke is on them. “Fenrir is not dead. In fact, if I am to believe it, he is very much alive. And that is where our quest begins.” I scan their faces, seeking one in particular. “Artemis.”
She lifts her head and takes a few steps forward. Her long, fiery hair is braided neatly on her back. Curly tendrils escape, framing a heart-shaped face with freckles. She places the tip of her bow on the shiny floor, waiting.
“You are our huntress,” I say. “If I give you a trail, can you track him down?”
“Yes, of course.”
I nod, turning to Thor and his pantheon. “We will bring Fenrir to you, once we find him. But that is where it will start.”
“Are the Olympians to lead us, then?” Another face emerges from the crowd. Feline ears, green eyes, but human features.
Bastet, goddess of domesticity, women’s secrets, fertility. She’s part of the Egyptian pantheon but is usually quiet at these gatherings on account of Hera overshadowing her. Not that she’s really shy, on the contrary. I used to think she was waiting for her moment to strike back. Deities don’t share the spotlight, one could say.
“Mind your mouth, Bastet,” Zeus says, not even looking at her. “Of course, we will. When have we not?”
“Perhaps it’s time to leave someone else in charge, since you have fucked us all over so nicely.” Her smile is all cat-like.
Morrigan snaps her fingers. “Let us leave all thoughts of overthrowing. At least until Fenrir is found, yes?”
Nods all around. I shoot her a grateful smile.
We have gained time… Until Artemis returns.
Will Artemis’ quest lead her to finding wolf god Fenrir? And what secrets lie along the path? What romances may blossom? Find out in the next Immortal Rogues installment, Archer’s Arrow.
Available for pre-order today!
To be continued….
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Rogues Extended Universe – Reading Order
Moonlight Rogues
Flaming Rogues
Immortal Rogues
Lost Royals of Transylvania
Vârcolac Legacy (coming 2022)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alexa Whitewolf is a fiction writer, newspaper columnist of daily issues and author of the critically acclaimed Moonlight Rogues shifter series.
Alexa has been a lifelong writer and first began creating other worlds and characters at the ripe age of 12. Growing up in the Transylvania region surrounded by epic mountains and a never-ending stream of legends and stories was bound to create an overactive imagination. This shines through Ms. Whitewolf’s writing by creating worlds filled with unique folklore, life wisdom and plenty of furry creatures.
An avid traveler, Alexa writes under a penname and spends her days between an office job and writing in Canada’s capital, when she’s not flying somewhere with lush landscapes and plenty of hiking trails.
Her series focus on strong heroines, kind yet sexy men, fights of good and evil and the never-ending learning curve of humanity’s strong—and weak—points. Romanian folklore is intertwined with her writing, more notably in her shifter romance series, the Moonlight Rogues. Her other series draw on world mythology, such as the Avalon myth and Arthurian legend (The Avalon Chronicles) and Ancient Egypt (The Sage’s Legacy).
You can follow her blog at www.alexawhitewolf.com/blog or on social media. Her column in Observatorul also tackles various issues, including health, technology, and a writer’s life.
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ALSO BY THE AUTHOR
Rogues Extended Universe
Moonlight Rogues series
Moonlight Rogues: Origins
First to Fall
Second to Surrender
Third to Tumble
Last to Love
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Flaming Rogues series
Fanning the Flames
Igniting the Ice
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Immortal Rogues series
Secret Shadows
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Cat’s Charms
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Deadly Deceit
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Blazing Ashes
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Fallen
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Avalon Dreams
Avalon Wishes
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Atrox
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The Sage’s Legacy – YA series
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Secret Shadows: A Greek God Paranormal Romance (Immortal Rogues Book 1) Page 14
