“Wait!”
Darce stopped mid-step and turned quickly on his heel. “Yes?”
“Grab the other suitcase,” I ordered sternly before he had the chance to turn and leave my bedroom. “The one by the kitchen table.”
If I was going to disappear forever, into a dark, deep cavern of death, I was at least going to bring the small things that brought my life joy; my art supplies - drawing and painting alike. Darce didn’t respond. Instead, he walked smoothly back to the living room area and glanced at the small table in the kitchen. My painting case was still there—untouched from our arrival.
“Anything else?” He asked before walking towards the door.
“A minute to say goodbye,” I said softly and glanced at him.
“Go on then.”
I rolled my eyes. “Alone, please.”
He watched me closely. I could see the layer of distrust just lurking beneath the darkness of his eyes.
“I’ll meet you down in the car,” I promised as I shoved my blanket into his chest as a sign. I wasn’t going anywhere without that blanket. As long as he had it, then I was sure to follow.
Thankfully, it was enough. Darce gave me a curt nod in response and turned to leave.
“Don’t be long,” he called from over his shoulder. “I don’t like to be kept waiting.”
Chapter 8
“Why did you bring me to a fancy hotel? We could have just stayed at the—”
Darce looked over his shoulder at me, frowning. The sun had already begun to disappear as we left the apartment, and I had heard him mumble under his breath about taking too long. I probably should have felt bad – but it was hard to feel anything at all. I ignored him on the ride over, resigned to sit in awkward silence forever. Then he pulled up to the front of a very large and very bright hotel. I was shocked. I had never stayed in such a rich place.
The outside was alarming. The designer was obviously inspired by the art deco, which translated to the inside. The ceiling was high, arched with a beautiful stained-glass skylight. The walls and the floor, marble, sparkled with flecks of silver, gold and navy. I wanted to draw it, but whatever I could put down on paper wouldn’t do it justice. I resisted the urge to pull my cell phone from my pocket to take a photo for later. I was afraid of standing out as an obvious tourist. Darce might think I was calling the cops.
“Kalispera, kupia.” Darce’s voice drawled in smooth Greek. He was at the front desk, charming the young woman, who was courteous enough to pass him a room key. She said something then that I couldn’t understand, blushed, and he thanked her.
“What was that about?” I asked, crossing my arms across my chest. The woman at the desk looked as though she had just seen a celebrity.
Darce ignored me and placed a hand on my back. “This way.”
The entire ride up the elevator was a mess of confusion on my part, but he seemed amused. On the twelfth floor, we stepped off the elevator and I followed him to a tall, wide door.
“How did you get the room with no money?” I wrinkled my brow, confused.
Darce slid the door key from his pocket. His expression was mysterious. It was like he had a secret to tell, and he wasn’t sure if he should say it. Then again, he could have also just been teasing. I had asked him twice now about the hotel.
“Earth to Darce!” I snapped. “Are you going to answer me?”
“I own the hotel.”
“You own the hotel?” I echoed, crinkling my nose. “But you said—”
He was a God, right? If he was a God, why on earth did he own a hotel? Why were we here? If he really was who he claimed to be, couldn’t he just blink and we’d end up at the destination? He pressed the key card against the reader and turned the knob as the lights on the device flashed green. Everything about the hotel was extravagant—beautiful, even. And it all belonged to him?
“If you’re really a God, why do you own a hotel? It’s not like you need the money.”
“Such a simple mind you have,” he cooed. “Not everything is about money, Summer.”
“Are you some rich billionaire with a God complex?”
“I suppose in a manner of speaking,” He replied with a smirk.
But as he opened the door to our room, I felt the air leave my lungs. Never—in the short years of my life—had I ever seen such a beautiful room before. I was too scared to touch a single thing. I darted my eyes from the grey sofa in the corner, to the deep grey window seat just beside it. The sheer curtains were drawn, but I imagined the view of the city would be beautiful. I dropped my suitcase to the hard wooden floor and began to explore the suite. A glass bottle of water with two small glasses waited for our use on a large breakfast bar in one part of the suite. I turned, following a small hallway that led to an extravagant bathroom, and then finally to the bedroom. The tub was topped with marble and bellowed my name with the promise of relaxation. It was certainly going to get it’s use from me. As I entered the bedroom, I noticed another long window seat situated beside the bed. The curtains were drawn, and gave a perfect view to one of the temples in the distance. As I turned my gaze back to the hallway, I caught Darce watching me.
“Do you approve?” He asked. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of my answer, so I tried to be aloof and indifferent. I wasn’t a good liar though and my poker-face was even worse, so I’m sure he saw past my “pride”.
“It’ll do,” I coughed. “I guess.”
Ignoring his snickering, I grabbed my lone suitcase and fluffy comforter from their isolated location beside the door. I tried to balance the puffiness of the blanket in one arm as I wheeled my suitcase to the sofa in the other room.
“What are you doing?” Darce asked as he followed me.
“I thought I’d sleep in here. That way you can have the—”
“Absolutely not,” he snapped politely. “You may think I’m a madman, but I’m not a monster.” He lifted his hand towards the hallway. “I insist, Summer. Go sleep in the bed.”
I had, at least, given him the option. And, I wasn’t about to argue—at least not over the comforts of a bed. Shrugging my shoulders, I took my things into the bedroom and opened it to remove my pajamas. Everything inside still smelled like home.
Home. Mom. Dad.
Maybe a bath would help me to relax. If I could just sink into a steamy curtain of privacy for a few minutes, then I could try to get a better handle on my emotions. I knew I was still in a strange state of shock. But the more time passed since leaving the hospital, the more I fought the urge to cry. The reality of my parents dying was beginning to set in. I was truly alone. I was alone. and they were never coming back.
Picking up my clothes, I pushed past Darce without a word and shut myself in the bathroom. Only as I turned the lock on the door did I finally allow myself the chance to begin to break down. To cry. I slid down the length of the door and pulled my legs against my chest. Everything that I had known—loved—was gone. Only to find out that I might not be... who I thought I was? I didn’t understand. How could this be happening to me?
“Get it together, Summer,” I mumbled to myself as I wiped away the tears on my cheeks.
I tried some deep breathing before I hauled myself over to the tub. Leaning over the edge, I turned the knobs and watched as the water filled the bath. The bathwater drowned out any noise between me and the door. I was sure Darce was lurking nearby, anxiously pacing and scowling at a wall somewhere. That thought alone made me laugh. What would dad have said if he had heard Darce’s tale? He was a huge fan of history, a regular Milo Thatch. Especially when it came to Greek Mythology. Which is why he had jumped on the opportunity to come to Greece with National Geographic. I already knew what my mother would do. She would call my psychiatrist back home and make arrangements to fly Darce out the following morning.
My throat closed up as I tried to swallow my tears.
Pushing the thoughts aside, I began to undress, pulling my shirt over my head. As I began to unbutton the top o
f my jeans, I heard a knock coming from the door. I decided to ignore it; at least for the time being.
“Just wanted to let you know that I’ll order some food for you,” I could hear Darce faintly say. I hadn’t even noticed how hungry I was until the mention of food.
“The Hotel kitchen will be closing shortly.”
“Fine,” I called back, tugging myself free from my jeans and shoes.
Clambering into the tub, I turned the water knobs off and leaned back against the rim—allowing myself to be enveloped by the hot water. Even through the walls, I could hear the faint sound of his voice, talking on the phone to room service. For being the ruler of the Underworld—if that’s what he really was—he was certainly strange. He was not at all what I imagined a god to be like. Though, I hadn’t really ever spent much time thinking about the nuances of God-hood. My upbringing lacked a certain spiritual connection to any religion, but I guess I never considered it was possible for ancient, mythological gods to exist. I reached for a small box on the marble ledge, hoping it was a fresh bar of soap. I was surprised to find the soap was creamy white, with what looked like dried flower petals.
This certainly was luxury at it’s finest.
After I scrubbed my skin and scalp clean, I decided it was time to venture away from the safety of the tub and face Darce again. I wrapped myself up in one of the large, fluffy white towels, and stared at my reflection in the grand mirror hanging over the sink. My eyes were tired, encircled with dark marks. My cheeks were pink from the hot water, and my hair was stringy from being wet.
“There is no way I’m a Goddess…” I muttered under my breath. I didn’t come close to looking the part.
Turning away from the image, I donned a loose-fitting shirt, and slid on a pair of comfy shorts. I dug my brush out from the bottom of my bag and tore it through my tangles. I had to be crazy for coming with him to a fancy hotel, especially one he owns. If I ever got the chance to reach out to my friends again, they would never believe me. An entire vacation spent in a luxurious hotel with a man who claimed to be Hades, only he wasn’t James Woods and this wasn’t a Disney movie. After I cleaned up the bathroom, near to perfection, I hauled myself and my clothes back into the sprawling bedroom. Darce was there, still and flawless in his finely pressed suit. He was sitting beside one of the large windows, looking out over the scenery below. I could only imagine the sort of thoughts that were running through his mind.
“The bathroom is yours if you want it,” I offered softly. I actually felt sort of guilty for disturbing his peace.
He turned his chin and glanced at me with a small smirk, “Enjoy yourself then?”
“It was nice,” I replied with a nod.
“The food should be here soon,” he said and gestured with one hand towards the bed. “Take a seat. Get comfortable.”
I slid my hand over my arm and stood nervously in the doorway. My other hand still grasped my bag tightly.
“Come, Summer. Sit,” he beckoned, crossing his arms over his chest. “Have I given you any reason to distrust me thus far? Take a seat, get comfortable. Please.”
“I don’t mind standing.”
“I could always make you, if you’d prefer.” He was definitely teasing me now. I meant what I had said back at the apartment. If he tried pulling that Criss Angel crap again, I would have to pull out my best left hook on his too perfect nose. Dad didn’t teach me too much about self-defense, but he did teach me enough to throw a fist hard enough to make anyone cry.
“I’ll make sure you regret it if you do.”
He chuckled, “I don’t doubt that you would. Do as you please then.”
I decided to take my bag and seat myself on one of the small chairs tucked in the corner of the room. Darce rolled his eyes and shook his head. I really didn’t care if I was being more stubborn than usual. He could deal with it.
“There’s no need to dislike me so,” he continued with amusement.
“Oh really?” I snapped. After everything that had happened to me in the last forty-eight hours, he was more worried about how much I disliked him. What a vain assumption.
“You’re not as playful as your past lives,” his tone was matter-of-fact, “Sometimes they even wanted me.”
Past lives? He was a whack job. This whole thing belonged on one of those mystery Dateline episodes.
“Listen, I’m grateful for whatever magic trick you pulled back at the hospital but,” I paused, eyeing him, “It’s time you and I talked. About everything.”
Darce shot up from his seat at the window, followed by a knock at the door. I followed him cautiously out into the living room where a cart of food had been pushed in by a young man in a uniform. Room service. My stomach did a delightful flip.
“Grazi,” Darce said as he passed the young man a tip. Once we were left alone again, he wheeled the cart to the breakfast bar in the sitting room. I took a seat on one of the high stools, opposite to where he stood on the other side. When he served me a dish of french fries and a cheeseburger, I nearly melted.
“I thought you might want something simple.” He wasn’t wrong. I took a bite of the burger and moaned. It was so good.
“So you wanted to talk?” Darce continued as I took a sip from a glass of water. Right. I wanted to talk.
“I really think you have the wrong girl,” I said, picking up a french fry and biting the pointed edge. Darce rolled his eyes and groaned as he rounded the breakfast bar and took a seat on the other stool.
“We’re going to talk about this again?”
I pushed the plate away from me and glared at him.
“Yes, this again,” I retorted. “I’m not—”
“And what about the shadows you see?” He asked, crossing his arms against his chest. “And the strange dreams you have?”
“How do you know—” I paused as he raised a brow, watching me carefully.
“The things that you see in your dreams, they’re all connected. They’re all tied to this; to me.”
“You don’t know anything about them,” I managed to respond. I was slightly offended he had the audacity to presume things about my life, and claim to know everything about me. How could he know about the shadows I had grown up seeing? How could he know about my dreams? The man, always offering his hand to me? Always offering seeds. He lifted a ripe green asparagus from another plate and took a bite.
“I know more than you think,” he replied. “I have been caretaker of the Underworld for thousands of years. I have seen this world change in ways you’d never understand. I have known so many faces... So many souls…”
As I stared at him, I saw there was a strange sincerity in his gaze.
“You, on the other hand, are so young… So new to this life,” He inched closer on his seat and whispered, “You are a part of something even larger than you could ever have imagined for yourself, Summer.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Which is why you see the things that you do,” he continued.
I wasn’t sure how much of this I was willing to listen to. My stomach growled as my eyes darted back to the cheeseburger, waiting for me. Maybe my idea of talking had been a bad one overall.
“Do you want to know the real story of Persephone?” Darce asked, tilting his head curiously.
“I thought we went through this already,” I muttered, shrugging. “I already know it. Persephone was stolen by…Hades,” I said, eyeing him. “And when her mother found out where she was, demanded that she be returned, Zeus, the brother of Hades and apparent father of Persephone,” I added, wrinkling my nose, “Sent a messenger to Hades to tell him he had to bring Persephone back to her mother. And there was something about giving her seeds, because he didn’t trust she’d return on her own. When she’s with her mother, the world experiences spring and summer. And when she’s with Hades…fall and winter. It’s just a story to explain the seasons.”
“That’s right,” he replied sharply. “Exactly how a non-believer looks at the story.”
>
“Come on,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I think the world has developed enough to understand the seasons are primarily based on the rotation of the earth. It has nothing to do with some girl who ate seeds and was in love with her uncle. It’s just a fairy tale.” Even that, I’m sure, was pushing it.
I saw him grimace at that, and I was slightly proud of myself.
“Not everything is so cut and dry,” Darce said with a sigh.
“Which part? The seasons or the relations?”
Darce glared at me.
“One year, she didn’t return to him,” he stated. “He waited… I waited… For what felt like an eternity. Her mother had taken her away, breaking the vow between our two families.”
I watched as his demeanor began to weaken; his eyes grew distant as he looked away.
“I have been searching for her ever since. To bring her back to me. I have searched for her in many lifetimes. Every time I manage to find the likeness of her soul—the wife I once loved and cherished...” But he trailed off into silence.
“What happened to her?” I asked as he pushed the plate of food back to me. My stomach thanked him.
“Demeter, her mother, despised me. Still does, no doubt. No matter what form Persephone takes, she is stolen from me.”
“But if Persephone is a goddess, how is she being reincarnated? Aren’t gods and goddesses immortal?” I was suddenly struck with the memory of Hercules, who had to prove himself worthy of being a god. I wasn’t really up for slaying a three-headed serpent; not that I expected to ever have the opportunity.
“I heard of the ceremony only once. Hermes came to me and spoke of it after a few hundred years had already passed. He waited to tell me, as Zeus and everyone on Mount Olympus knew I would have prevented it from happening.” From the way he spoke, I knew he would have too.
Darce continued, “Demeter brought her daughter to Mount Olympus, where she begged Zeus to make her human. To suppress her true nature.”
“W-Why?”
“In hopes it would destroy the love she held in her heart for me. If Demeter could reset her daughter’s life, it would be shared only by the two of them. She couldn’t bear knowing Persephone’s heart no longer belonged to her mother…but to me instead.” I understood there was something more to his own self-loathing. Just by the way he mentioned himself. Me like he was a monster. Me like he was truly the God of Death. I shuddered at the thought.
Blinding Night Page 7
