by Unknown
Clotho giggled, her sisters glowered along with Nemesis, and the God Squad groaned.
“Is she serious?” I heard Morpheus whisper to Pan.
“No, Morph,” Pan whispered dramatically. “It's called sarcasm.”
“I've been waiting thousands of years to see Zeus get his comeuppance,” Nemesis growled. “We're going with you, Godhunter, and we're going to take back Olympus.”
“Uh huh,” I lifted my brows at her. “You wouldn't happen to know a way to get all of us into Olympus, would you? Cause I think that's kind of going to be a problem.”
“As a matter of fact, I do.” Her grin was wicked, deadly, and a whole lot of scary.
“You are full of hate and loathing,” I grinned back at her, “and I gotta tell you, I love it. When do we leave?”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
It turns out there was a lot more to attacking Olympus than merely deciding when to leave. There were a few allies the Greek gods wanted to assemble before departure and to get to those allies would take a little effort. And another trip through the Greek Underworld.
“What do you mean we have to go into Hell?” I whined. “We're already in Hell.”
“Actually, that's not quite accurate,” Hades explained. “We're above Hell, Tartarus is what we call it. We don't actually punish souls here.”
“You could have fooled me,” I grumbled.
“The Underworld guards the entrance to Tartarus and Tartarus guards the entrance to the territory of the Titans,” Persephone explained.
“Oh,” I mumbled and then jerked in shock. “The Titans? As in Clash of the?”
“Yes, Vervain,” Hades chuckled a little.
“Aren't they really scary and really big and really bad,” I gaped at him. “As in, eat your own children bad?”
“Myths, Minn Elska, remember?” Trevor rubbed my upper arm.
“Oh, right,” I frowned. “Look, we've got like a thousand gods out there,” I gestured to the open door. “Do we really need to bring the Titans into this?”
Then Nemesis, who'd left after telling me our departure to Olympus had to wait, came walking back in with a Goth girl. I glanced over and then did a double take. It wasn't a girl, it was a woman. A beautiful woman with a riot of curls dyed deep purple that trailed down her back. She had pale skin, a lip piercing, and black lipstick to match her black eyes. Then those eyes focused on me and she spoke.
“Yes, we need the Titans. Their very presence may stop the battle before it begins and save our ignorant siblings who have remained at Zeus' side.”
“Oh,” I blinked dumbly at her. “I see your point.”
“Everyone,” Nemesis addressed the room, “this is Hekate. Hekate, meet the God Squad.”
“You've been dying to call them that, haven't you? I knew you had a sense of humor buried deep in there.” Hekate grinned at Nemesis and I liked her immediately. This was my kind of goddess.
“That's what they call themselves,” Nemesis rolled her eyes.
“Nice to meet you, Hekate” I stood and gave her my hand. She looked surprised a moment before extending hers.
“And you as well, Godhunter,” she shook my hand. “I've heard strange and wondrous things about you.”
“Oh? Mainly I'm just strange,” I grinned.
“Even better,” she grinned back. “In case you didn't notice, I love strange.”
Oh yeah, she was awesome.
“Hekate is the Goddess of Pathways,” Nemesis said after Hekate was introduced to each member of the Squad individually. “She can open the door to the territory of the Titans and get us into Olympus.”
“Pathways, eh?” I looked her over. “That's a pretty cool magic. Does that mean what I think it means?”
“I don't know, Inigo Montoya,” she smirked. “What do you think it means?”
“I am so digging you right now,” I laughed as Trevor groaned.
“Look, Vervain's found a friend,” Pan quipped. Then Hekate turned a dark stare on him and he squeaked in fear.
“Damn, girl,” I swore. “You gotta teach me that stare.”
“Oh sure,” she shrugged, “but you really need to build up a reputation for killing mercilessly first. It helps if you dismember a lot of people.”
“What?” I gaped at her. “Really?”
“No, I'm messing with you,” she slapped my arm.
“Could we perhaps get on with it?” Horus drawled. Hekate turned her glare on him but he simply glared back.
“Oh,” she purred and sidled over to him. “Now you're interesting.”
“I... uh... what?” Horus stammered while we all watched in stunned silence.
“You're Egyptian, right?” She trailed the pointed tips of her black fingernails down his sleeve. “You have amazing eyes.”
“Thank you,” Horus finally recovered. “Very few people notice them.”
“You're kidding?” She lifted a purple eyebrow. “They're so striking, I can't imagine anyone not noticing.”
“My mother always says so,” Horus' smile was one I'd only seen a handful of times. No snark, no sass, just a regular nice smile. The whole room went so quiet, you could hear everyone's breathing. Then Hades cleared his throat.
“So Tartarus,” he said.
“Um, yes, quite right,” Horus cleared his throat too.
In fact there was a lot of throat clearing and shuffling of feet while everyone looked anywhere but at Horus and Hekate.
“Wow,” Hekate looked around the room and chuckled. “You'd think the guy never got hit on.”
“Um...” Pan started to say something but Kirill knocked his fist back into Pan's stomach. The air whooshed out of him and he wheezed, “Never mind.”
That broke the tension and the room erupted into laughter.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
“Is it really necessary that we all go?” I asked hopefully as we walked out of the office and started through the crowded halls of Hades' palace.
“No but I think you should come,” Hades continued forward without looking back at me.
“Why?”
“I think we need to keep you with us,” he stopped and grabbed a lady with deep-set, dark, haunted eyes. “Ania, have you seen Cerebus?”
“He went for a run I think,” her voice was even sad. It gave me the shivers.
“Thank you,” Hades nodded at her and continued on. We all followed him, I a little more reluctantly than the others.
“I think I'll be fine waiting here,” I tried again. “I could rally the troops while your gone.”
“Is there a reason you don't want to go into Tartarus?” Hades finally stopped and looked back at me.
“Seriously? You just said that?” I gave him my really? look until he huffed a laugh.
“It'll be fine, Vervain,” Hades turned back around and led us from the palace. “We'll just be passing through.”
“And we'll just be passing through the Vale of Mourning to get there right?” I grumbled. “That place is so depressing.”
“Why do you think I have such high walls?” He shot back at me.
“I thought they were to keep the centaurs out,” I quipped.
“When did you meet a centaur?” Hades stopped dead in his tracks and jerked around to face me. “Was it when Persephone brought you here to find me?”
“Uh, no,” I glanced at Sephy but she just smiled and shook her head. “Actually, I've never met a centaur. Sephy just told me about them.”
“I hate centaurs,” Hades grumbled and started to turn back around.
“We only had to fight harpies,” I mumbled.
“What?!” Hades shrieked like the aforementioned harpies and pulled his shades from his eyes. The twin fires behind his irises flared bright as he stared me down. “The harpies attacked you? Persephone?” He transferred his gaze to her. “You didn't tell me the harpies attacked you.”
“Because Vervain shifted into a dragon and terrified them into turning tail and flying away before they even
struck a single blow,” Sephy shrugged. “I didn't think it was such a big deal.”
“You didn't?” His voice went low. “One of the Children of Nyx attacks my wife in my own territory and you didn't think it was worth mentioning?”
“Um, no?” She gave him a hesitant grin.
“Persephone!” He growled. “How do you expect me to keep order in the Underworld if I'm not made aware of threats made against my wife?”
“Um...,” Sephy seemed to consider.
“Hey,” I interrupted, “at least we didn't run into any centaurs, right?”
“Centaurs!” Hades shot his fiery gaze back to me. “Damn snotty bastards. Slinging their huge horse-”
“Sizzle butt!” Sephy interrupted before he could finish. “Maybe this isn't the time?”
“Uh,” he looked around at the fascinated crowd he'd drawn and then swiftly replaced his sunglasses. “Sorry about that. I just-”
“We know,” I interrupted. “You hate centaurs. We got it. Maybe we can talk about your little idiot-syn-crazies later. Right now we gotta go meet some Titans, remember?”
“It's idiosyncrasies not idiot,” Pan whispered dramatically to me.
“I know,” I used my duh voice.
“Oh, I was so hoping that wasn't a mistake,” Hekate laughed. “And I'm stealing that by the way. Idiotsyncrazies!”
“Ugh,” Hades shook his head and led us out of the gate and into the clearing that surrounded the palace. “And actually, Vervain, we don't have to go into the Vale. We'll simply be following the Dividing Road down to where it ends in the entrance to Tartarus.” He waved a hand toward the wide road that bisected the clearing in front of the palace.
“This way,” Hades gestured to the road and we all started forward.
Then a howl pierced the air and we all pulled up short to gape at the massive, three-headed dog that was trotting up the road towards us. Two of his heads were staring viciously in opposite directions, dark eyes searching for victims most likely. The last head was staring straight at us as his thick legs picked up speed. Slobber flew from his three lolling tongues as his jaws hung open, revealing sharp teeth the size of my femurs(I told you he was massive). His black pelt shivered in anticipation of the kill.
I pushed my way to the front of the group and started pulling off my leather gear in preparation of shifting into a dragon. It seemed like the only option and frankly, no one else was doing anything but staring at our death as it approached very quickly. As soon as my hand feel to my laces though, Hades' hand shot out and grabbed me.
“It's only Cerebus,” he said. “Be easy, Godhunter.”
“Cerebus?” I frowned, a vague memory of the name rising up in my adrenaline-soaked brain. “The dude who was standing beside you at the first meeting?”
“That's him,” Hades smirked at me. “Haven't you heard of the dog who guards the Underworld?”
“Yeah but I thought he was just a big dog. Isn't the three-headed thing kind of like a dragon?” I looked back and forth between Hades and the overgrown mastiff that came to a halt right in front of us.
“No, you're thinking of the Hydra,” Hades waved his hands in negation. “Cerebus is a three-headed dog.”
“Yeah, I got that,” I watched as the giant dog shimmered like sun off the desert and through the haze a man was formed.
He came walking forward, buck naked and mean looking. Oh yeah, I remembered him. Suddenly I felt Trevor at my back, his body actually brushing mine. The warning growl he emitted rumbled through his body and into my skin.
“Back off, Wolf Prince,” Cerebus snarled and bared his teeth. “I don't want your woman. She has too much cat in her to interest me.”
“Just a friendly warning,” Trevor snarled back, “and a suggestion to put on some pants.”
I looked over at Trevor in surprise as Cerebus' angry visage broke with laughter. Trevor joined in and the men nodded to each other in mutual understanding. I however, did not understand. Why was Trevor so concerned about another man's nudity? He was a werewolf, they tended to take nudity pretty well. I glanced back at Cerebus and hazarded a look down. Oh. That was why. Impressive but not what I wanted in my bed. That thing was almost as scary as Cerebus' dog form.
“Trevor,” Trevor held out a hand to Cerebus, everything all good now that they'd done the shifter equivalent of sniffing each other's butts.
“Cerebus,” he shook Trevor's hand and I rolled my eyes.
“Tima, is everything alright here?” I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard Darius' voice. I turned around and saw his concerned face.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I squeaked. “Besides giving me a damn heart attack.”
I heard Cerebus start growling behind me and I turned around and roared at him. I know, it was a bit overkill but I was on edge and no one threatens my cats. The roar echoed out from me, across the Cocytus and through the Vale of Mourning. It actually stopped that infernal wailing for a few minutes. Cerebus gaped at me.
“So, you're a little more than a cat,” Cerebus finally said.
“And don't you forget it, big boy,” I drawled, my dragoness placated by his reverent tone.
“No, ma'am,” he lowered his head.
“Now, you,” I turned back to look at the wide-eyed Darius. “Explain your presence.”
“Well, you run off without us a lot of times and it's not fair, Tima,” Darius tossed the shaggy ends of his blonde bangs out of his eyes. “We should be following you into every battle. So Fallon sent me with a group of Intare to help you.”
“But I don't want you to think you have to fight my battles,” I glanced at the contingent of Intare he'd brought with him and Aidan waved gaily at me. “This isn't your fight.”
“Any fight that you decide to make your own, then becomes ours,” Darius looked a little wounded. “We're a family.”
“Ohana,” I nodded, smiling. “Ohana means family and family means no one gets left behind. I'm sorry, Darius. I'm sorry, guys. Come on over here. Group hug!”
My Intare laughed and ran over. I was soon enveloped by my werelions, their scents sinking into my skin and setting alive the cords that connected them to me. Then we heard Clotho ask if she could get in on the group hug. We broke apart with a laugh and a few awkward glances around us.
“So where are we headed, Tima?” Aidan asked as he gave Clotho a quick wink.
“Into Tartarus,” I said dryly.
“What?” Aidan's eyes flew to mine as his jaw fell open. “Isn't that like-”
“Hell?” I smirked. “Yep, a deeper level, if you will. But no worries, right? We've all been to Hell before.”
“I'll follow you into any Hell you wish, Tima,” Tim said with deep sincerity. He was one of the Intare I'd saved from the Darkness and the fact that he would now follow me into any darkness of my choosing nearly brought on the waterworks.
“We all would,” Darius agreed. “You've gone through worse for us.”
“Guys,” I whispered and swallowed hard. “I love you, you know that? Thank you.”
“We love you too,” Aidan smirked.
“And you ruin it every time, Aidan,” Darius rolled his eyes.
“Are you all going to make out now or can we get on with this long journey that we have ahead of us?” Nemesis drawled.
“Hi there,” Timothy gave her a dopey smile. “How are you, Beautiful?”
“I...” Nemesis looked around her in a panic. “Uh, I gotta go.”
And just like that, she started off down the Dividing Road, leaving the rest of us to run after her. Some of us may have been giggling under our breath. I shoved Timothy in her direction with an encouraging grin. If Horus could start flirting, why not Nemesis?
We all heard a surprised shriek when Timothy caught up with her.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
The Dividing Road was just what its name implied. It was a road that divided the Underworld. Just a road. Nothing extraordinary happened on it, other than it taking us t
o Tartarus, but I was so supremely glad that I didn't have to go into the Vale of Mourning again that the road seemed like a bright and beautiful place. That is until it headed down into a wide-mouthed cave right alongside the Cocytus.
We passed into the cave, the sound of rushing water echoing back to us from the high rock ceilings. What was with the Greeks and their caves with rivers in them? This was the second such cave I'd seen within the Underworld. I frowned and watched the rough water. It almost sounded like it was crying. I'd attributed the sound to the proximity of the Vale of Mourning earlier but with the Vale behind us, it wasn't possible to blame it anymore.
“This is going to sound crazy,” I leaned in to Hekate, who was walking between me and Horus.
“I like crazy too,” she grinned, her white teeth looking sharp in the dark. “Hit me.”
“Is it me or is the water crying?”
“Oh!” She laughed. “Don't you know about Cocytus? That's the River of Wailing. As in, it wails.”
“Fantastic,” I grumbled. “I'm walking into the Under-Underworld or Hell Times Two, if you prefer, beside a crying river.”
“Hey, Vervain, cry me a river.” Pan pointed to the Cocytus. “Get it? Cause it's a crying river?”
“I don't even know what to say to that,” I shook my head at him.
“What? It's funny cause the river is already crying,” Pan huffed.
“Pan,” I growled.
“Oh you can make stupid jokes but I can't?” He kept going.
“Pa-a-a-n,” I drug out his name from between clenched teeth.
“Well you don't have to get so upset about it.”
“Pan!”
“What?”
“Who is that?” I pointed towards the end of the cave, where a woman in a blood-stained dress blocked our path. Her dark hair was in a wild cloud around her, her eyes had a crazed look to them, and she was holding three snakes in one of her big hands. Three!
“Oh, that's just Tisiphone,” Pan shrugged. “She works for Hades, don't worry about her. In fact, pretty much all of Tartarus works for Hades. We're as safe walking through here as we are in Luke's Hell.”
“I don't know if that was the best comparison,” I frowned. Even though I wouldn't be attacked in Hell, just seeing some of the tortures that went on there could be traumatizing.
