by S. E. Babin
“The frying pan, child. That’s what it is. You’ve jumped from the shrimp pot into the skillet. It’s different but it’s just as dangerous, if not more so.”
She was right about that. I thought about our particularly heated makeout session. Hades felt...different. I didn’t feel exactly safe or comfortable with him. Not quite. I knew I was safe in a logical sense because I was an asset to him. And I knew he was easy to talk to. I also knew he was brilliant and powerful. But every time I was around him I felt a little off-kilter.
“His motives are different.”
Did Clotho just crawl into my brain and pluck that piece out? I wish she’d stop doing that. “How so?” I asked, not even bothering to chastise her about reading my mind.
She studied me, her gaze wise and knowing.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she knew Hades’ secret. How was that even possible? Even her reach stopped when it came to the Underworld. Didn’t it?
I said nothing.
“He is unlike you or me or Zeus or anyone else. There’s something different about Hades. Something that seems almost...human. He loves deeply, despises deeply, but he also has moments of compassion that we do not.” She paused and frowned. “Well, most of us do not. You and your gang are a little bit different than the rest of us now, aren’t you?”
“Ain’t that the truth,” I said over a mouthful of cookie.
“You also have appalling manners.”
“Thanks, Clotho.”
“Stop talking with your mouth full.”
She snagged a cookie and chewed a piece thoughtfully. Of course, she finished chewing before she spoke again. She didn’t have appalling manners.
“I saw Hermes,” I said. And immediately regretted it. Why did I tell her that?
“Oh?” Her eyebrows lifted in interest. “And how did that go?”
“Terrible. He couldn’t keep his hands off Dike.”
Clotho tossed her cookie down on my island and I winced because she didn’t use a napkin. Chocolate smeared on the granite.
“Have you learned nothing from my guidance?”
I wasn’t sure she guided me as much as told me what to do and then threatened to kill me if I failed to do it the way she told me to, but I felt it unwise to mention that so I gave her my fall-back deer in the headlights stare.
She snorted in amusement. “You learned the origins of the prophecy. You defeated Cronus -”
“With help,” I corrected.
She waved a hand. “Doesn’t matter. You have a powerful responsibility to the immortals, Aphrodite. Do you really think Hermes is the one to see you through that?”
My lips tightened and my throat grew dry. Her words should have made me angry. So why did they resonate? Was Hermes powerful enough to accept my eventual role in this world? When the going got tough what did he do? Sometimes he ran. At least for a little while. But...I acted like a total jackass when I agreed to that competition with Typhon. I banked on him loving me enough to do it. But he refused. After all, why should he have to prove himself over and over again to me when he’d already risked his life and the wrath of his father multiple times before?
“I don’t know the answer to that question,” I finally said.
Disappointment. That’s the look she gave me. She was disappointed in me.
“I don’t.” I clarified. Which really clarified nothing at all.
I did know the answer to that question.
I was just too terrified to voice it. If I voiced it, it would make it real. And I was clinging tightly to the hope that Hermes and I would be able to work this out. Because I did love him.
But I wasn’t sure love was enough.
Immortals were different in that regard. We loved and loved and loved and we lost over and over and over again. We were immortal. Life was not short for us. Nor was it easy. Hermes professed his love to me multiple times but could it last for the rest of our lives when there was no end to our lives? Could he really love me and move on so quickly? I’d pined for him and seeing him with Dike was a stab in the heart. I’d reacted. And I’d abused the trust that Hades and I had developed.
I stood abruptly. “I need to apologize to someone.” I tossed my apron off. “Are you good in here for awhile?”
Clotho stared at me. “Uh yeah. I’m immortal and have this cool ability to open doors. Plus,” she waggled her fingers, “teleportation.”
I shut my eyes for a moment and let the stupid wash over me. I’d been around mortals for too long. “Right,” I said. “Immortal. Got it.”
With a wave of my hand, I vanished.
Hades sat cross-legged in his library watching me with a cool, blank expression on his handsome face. “Aphrodite,” he acknowledged. “Would you like something to drink?”
I hesitated to piss off his resident ghost, Tilly. I nodded. “Water, please.”
The ghost hovering in the back of the room made its way over to me and slowly poured me a glass of cool spring water. I still had no idea how she managed to pick up the pitcher or anything else for that matter but I wasn’t curious enough to ask Hades. I was pretty sure I didn’t want to know the answer to that question. Reanimated spirits weren’t in my wheelhouse.
I took a sip of water. Hades stayed silent.
I swallowed, took a breath and immediately started to ramble.
“Hades, look, I’m really, really sorry and I know I said I never ever wanted to speak about it, but communication is good, right? Especially since I’m supposed to be working for you and this is supposed to be for awhile and I never, ever meant to kiss you or make out with you or any of that stuff and yet, there I was, angry at Hermes and pissed off at the world and dare I admit I was a little bit lonely too? So what do I do? I use one of the few weapons at my disposal that should never, ever be abused and I turn on my glamour full blast and I know it was wrong, and I’m sorry and I just want you to know that it wasn’t your fault and you couldn’t control it and that it will never, ever happen again. Okay?”
By this time Hades eyes had widened and he was open mouthed staring at me, and I felt like a jackass because why did I always say something completely asinine when I had the chance to be sincere? I always tried to be sincere, but then I said too much and felt like a dummy. I opened my mouth and started again much to my consternation.
“You don’t have to say anything at all. I just wanted to offer my apologies. I understand you’re married and I understand that I took advantage of you and I promise for as long as I am alive I will never ever have my glamour on around you again.” I paused and thought about what I had just promised. “Unless it’s a life or death situation, okay? Or...I have a date.” I trailed off lamely. “Or it’s Halloween.” I sighed. I was such a dork.
Hades was still staring at me wide-eyed and I took that as my cue to leave.
I set my glass on the table. “Right,” I said and waved awkwardly before I disappeared from the room.
Chapter 6
Hades
Abby disappeared from the room before I had the chance to respond and, frankly, I was relieved because while she is one hell of a woman, she can also be mentally exhausting. Seconds later, my father reappeared in the room, disapproval written all over his stern countenance.
“You will allow her to think she holds power over you?” he asked. Scorn dripped from his voice and, once again, I was reminded of how little he actually understood concepts like love. Of course, God created love, but His idea of it and the way it had evolved was violently different.
I ran a shaky hand through my hair and blew out a frustrated breath. “It’s for the best.” And it was. If Abby believed she was the cause of what happened between us it would solve all of our problems. It was selfish, but it was rare a handy solution to a difficult problem landed so easily into my lap.
“You. Are. Divine,” my father bit out between clenched teeth.
I chuckled at his sheer ignorance. “And so is she, Father.”
He shimmered with ma
gic. “There is no other Divine than the one I’ve created.”
“Then you are living under a rock. You refuse to acknowledge it, but you see it. Your stubbornness has weakened you. Aphrodite holds more power than many of us.”
“Not you.”
“No,” I agreed. “Not me.”
“Then why do you allow her to believe her magic affects you?”
“Because I made a terrible error, Father. One I regret and one I hope never happens again.” I was lying. I definitely wanted it to happen again. What in the hell was wrong with me?
He growled in frustration and lowered his bulky body into the seat Abby had just vacated. “Persephone is not good enough for you.”
I couldn’t help but smile. Even though he didn’t understand certain concepts the way we did, at his core he was still a father who believed no girl was ever good enough for me.
“Perhaps. She is still my wife.”
Father grunted. “In name only.”
If people could hear him speak right now they would keel over in their pews. “I care for her.”
Amusement lit his face and made his gray eyes sparkle. “Do you now?”
We’d had this argument dozens of times. “You know I do.”
“You don’t look at her the same way you just looked at the blonde woman.”
He was right. “Abby isn’t merely a woman, Father.”
He stroked his beard and looked thoughtful. “No. No, she isn’t, son.”
I hated that look. “Stay out of it. Please, do not involve yourself.”
“You don’t need anyone to work for you.”
I stayed silent.
“You also don’t need anyone to find Persephone. You know exactly where she is.”
“Stay out of it,” I said again, steel edging my voice.
Curiosity now outweighed his anger and I knew I would have to tread very, very carefully from here on out.
“What’s your endgame here?” he asked.
I affected a heavy sigh and skewered him with a look of extreme annoyance. “Does there have to be an end game?”
He laughed out loud, a booming voice of amusement that rang out through the library. “If you are my son and I know that you are, there is definitely an endgame.” His gaze narrowed. “I do not understand why you continue to pretend Persephone has your heart.”
“She does.” It was an automatic answer and one I had been conditioned to give over the years.
“She doesn’t.”
“Father. Please.”
He held his hands up in a placating gesture. “Fine. Fine, Luc. But I know your heart as well as you know it and I know that there is something about that woman who just left that sets you on fire.”
Our gazes met.
“Do not allow Persephone to extinguish that blaze for that is what keeps your humanity alive.”
“Father -”
He held a hand out and stood up. “I am ancient. I may refuse to believe some things or I may not acknowledge them, but know that when it comes to your best interests, my eye is keen and my sight is wide.”
With a wink, he disappeared and I knew that I was in a whole world of shit.
He wouldn’t stop until he figured out why I was continuing to pursue Persephone but keeping Abby at bay. The Goddess of Love couldn’t have had worse timing for a visit if she had tried. I rubbed a hand over my face and groaned.
“Why me?” I muttered.
Chapter 7
Abby
“Idiot.” I smacked myself in the forehead. “Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.” Hades was going to fire me or worse and I would deserve it. Because I’m an idiot.
Clotho reappeared in my living room in a fresh change of clothes. “Sounds like whatever you did went well.”
“Just peachy.”
Clotho sat down beside me, reached over and plucked a chocolate chip out of my hair.
“Oh my Gods,” I whimpered. “Could I be any more of a dork?”
“No,” Clotho answered.
“Thanks.”
She patted my knee. “I want to thank you for including me in your human ritual.”
I snorted in amusement.
She glared at me.
“It was kind of you. But I do know your initial visit was to request assistance for Artemis.”
I perked up. My pity party was leaving my friend in the hands of a tiny, winged man and I really needed to get on the ball.
Sensing my interest, a smirk appeared on Clotho’s face. “It is not yet true Halloween, yet everyone knows Cupid loves parties.”
“He does?” I asked stupidly.
“Most people know that.” Clotho sighed and shook her head.
“Okay?” I wasn’t sure where she was going with that.
“Oh my gods, girl, do I have to spell everything out for you?”
I pretended to think for a moment. “Yes.”
“Sometimes I think your need for friends is greater than mine.”
“Words hurt, Clotho.” I’d said that to her before, but she always seemed to forget.
She ignored me. “Zeus throws an annual ball every year. Cupid will be there. He always goes.”
Disappointment filled me. Hermes was keeping the annual ball alive this year in Zeus’ absence. “There’s no way he will invite me this year.”
Clotho produced an invitation out of thin air. “This was in your mailbox.”
I plucked it from her thin fingers. “No, it wasn’t.”
She turned those freaky silvery eyes to me and I bit my lip.
“Mmkay,” I mumbled. “Thanks for checking the mail for me.”
“You’re welcome. Try to maintain some decorum in your costume of choice this time, my dear.”
“Duly noted,” I said as I plucked open the invitation. By the time I looked back up, she was gone.
I nodded in satisfaction at the mirror. I’d put a lot of thought into this costume and, with the help of Clotho and a handy herbal supplement, she’d also managed to muddle my power signature enough to confuse anyone in the room. It wouldn’t fool any of the Twelve Olympians, Zeus and Hermes included, but it would fool the majority of people there. Which is exactly what I wanted.
I slung the bow over my shoulder and snorted. I was taller, thinner, my cheeks were tanner and hollowed out than they were before and I had long glorious hair spiraling down my waist. In short, I was gorgeous.
But I’d always thought Artemis was gorgeous.
I walked out of the bedroom and heard Clotho’s gasp.
“Right?” I grinned at my friend as I twirled around. The leathers Artie normally wore were a lot more comfortable than I had expected them to be.
“The resemblance is uncanny.”
I shrugged. Glamour and illusion were two of my hallmark powers. I just never used them quite this specific before. Normally it was a tweak here or there. More hair, less hair, a little more tan, a little taller. Never had I tried to appear as another one of the Twelve. I’d never had a reason to.
It had the potential to get me killed, but pretty much everything I did these days almost got me killed. I was trying to save my friend and that was worth the risk I was taking.
Clotho walked around me in a circle, her gaze narrowed in concentration as she took in my appearance. She lifted up my hair, ran it through her fingers, pulled my eyelids open making my eyes water, but when she started to pull open my vest to look down my shirt, I stepped away.
“Clotho!” I barked. “No one is going to see me naked. It’s fine. I’ve...duplicated her body as exactly as I could.”
She harrumphed. “The way you’ve been going someone is bound to see you naked sometime soon, right?”
A crimson blush started up my neck.
Clotho chuckled. “Incredible.” She handed me a small baggy of earth-colored pills. “Do not lose it. They will mask your power signature for the next several hours. If someone finds them -”
Her expression said it all.
“I will lie my teeth o
ff.”
Clotho nodded. “I am breaking some rules doing this for you. You must not speak of this.”
I reached for and took her hand. “I promise.”
“If you have any left, destroy the pills when the task is done. Even once the spell has broken, the leftovers still hold a piece of my power.”
“Done.” I stuffed the small bag into the pocket of my leathers. “Ready or not, Olympus here I come.”
Clotho squeezed my hand and stepped away. “Good luck, child.”
“I’m going to need it.” I disappeared in a shower of pink and silver magic, the result of a weird melding of my own powers and the powers Clotho restored after she revealed Hecate’s prophecy. I’d been careful not to touch the new magic sitting within me because it still felt weird. Discontented. I hadn’t felt quite myself lately with the new power, so I was beginning to wonder if something was wrong with it.
I appeared in front of Zeus’ palace. The last time I was here the place was under attack and I thought Zeus might be dead. Turns out he’s a wily sort of guy and was able to make it out alive. Just my luck. There was no sign of the prior destruction or any disarray. It was the old Olympus, the one I’d known before. And the one I hated so much. I slipped the invite out of the front of my vest, nodded to the crowd of people milling around the bottom of the steps, and made my way up to the entrance.
It was time to play the game.
At the door stood a giant of a man, dressed only in a leather loincloth and high laced up leather boots. His arms were crossed and his expression thunderous. I didn’t recognize him which was slightly surprising because I knew almost everyone around here, but I pegged him immediately as a Titan. I tilted my head up to stare, struck by handsome he was and how completely unaffected he was by me. I frowned until I remembered who I was supposed to be, then frowned even harder because Artie was hot and who was this guy to ignore how smoking she was?
“Invitation,” he boomed.
I shook off those maudlin thoughts because it struck me how comfortable I’d gotten with being the center of attention and my arrogance squicked me out a little bit. I handed the invite over. I plastered a friendly smile on my face and decided to mess with the guy who obviously wasn’t interested in Artie’s goods. “Are you the entertainment tonight?”
