by S. E. Babin
“You’re losing me,” I said.
God chuckled. “Persephone is not a good match for him.”
And now we were back to her again. My head was spinning. “Okay?” I had no idea where he was going with this.
“You will leave Persephone alone. You will leave her to her own devices and you will tell Hades she has no wishes to come home to him.”
Indignation bubbled within me. “I will not.”
“Oh darling. You will.” With a faster movement than I’d ever seen any of the immortals ever exude, he reached for me and gently tilted my face towards his. “You will do this.”
I yanked my face out of his warm hands. “I. Will. Not. You have no dominion over me.”
He chuckled but it wasn’t with amusement. “I have dominion over everyone and everything.”
There was only one other question. “Why? Why are you asking me to do this?”
“Hades cannot see what I can see. My son needs a strong queen. A strong advisor to stand by his side. That person is not Persephone.”
“It is Persephone. Made in pact and witnessed by Zeus himself.”
“The pact is a fraud.”
I stared at him. “What does that even mean?”
“It means, my darling, that my son and his beautiful, vain, weak bride were never married in truth.”
My mouth gaped open like a fish. The impact of this was tremendous. “Does Hades know?”
“He will. Prepare yourself, Aphrodite. You will soon lead the Underworld. You will soon stand by my son’s side and become his Queen.”
I stood abruptly and waved my hands around like an angry fishwife. “Wait. Whaaat?” I screeched. “All this strong queen crap and you’re talking about me?” Shock beat at my core. “No. No no no no. Absolutely not!” I had enough of my own personal drama to deal with.
“I am pledged to another,” I said weakly, which was kind of and kind of not true.
“Your pitiful challenge?” God scoffed. He actually scoffed.
“Those are ancient promises and cannot be reneged upon.” They could but I wasn’t willing to lose my honor especially to a cockamamie scheme this dude was coming up with.
He stood, towering over me. “And you will not renege. But be forewarned. Typhon will not win the challenge for your hand.”
“I have no interest in your son,” I said, but I knew I was lying. “And he has no interest in me. He has set me upon the course to find his wife and bring her back. And I will.”
His face ran a myriad of emotions and he finally speared me with a thoughtful look. “Sometimes when we are confronted with a truth one does not want to acknowledge, other players need to merely step aside and let the chips fall where destiny has guided them. My son is eerily similar in his convictions. Consider this, child. Have you ever thought about what your life would be like if you stepped away from the world you continually plunge yourself in?”
Every single day, I thought.
The intensity in his gaze told me he knew the answer to that question as well as I did.
“Then think upon this and know should you choose to play ball with me you shall want for nothing. You shall lead a new world. And you shall stand next to my son deeply in love and joined to him in hope and happiness for the rest of your days.”
I blew out a breath. “Love magic isn’t always true love. It’s coercion. You can’t take two people without any interest in each other and make a lasting match happy. It will fall apart at the seams.”
God pulled me close to him and kissed me on the top of his forehead. “Oh Aphrodite. How much you have to learn, child. I see these things and I know.” He tilted my chin up so I met his gaze. “There is no magic needed. No coercion. Only a foundation. I know this to be true.”
He stepped away from me and I rubbed my hands over my arms to ward away the foreboding chill his words caused me.
Impossible. It was impossible. I was still in love with Hermes. An attraction did not a love match make.
“Enjoy the rest of your Halloween,” he said. In a frenzy of gray and cloudy cool wind, he disappeared.
“What the hell just happened?” screeched Artie as she appeared in the room, brandishing her staff like a katana.
I sighed, a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. “I have no idea. But it wasn’t good.”
I would just have to stick to the plan. Find Persephone. Bring her home. Void my contract with Hades. He’d already spoken of it anyway because of my deal with Typhon. He couldn’t help his father’s meddling.
“One minute I was sitting here having a holy shit I’m talking to God kind of moment, the next I’m in my own house, reading a Harry Potter novel. And I couldn’t get out my chair! It was like I was strapped in but there were no straps!” Her violet eyes burned with confusion and anger. “Are you okay?” she finally asked me.
“I’m fine.” But I wasn’t hanging out here any longer. I had no use for any other unauthorized visitors and their crazy shenanigans. “What do you say we head downtown and finish off the rest of this Halloween in style?”
I could tell she was dying to ask me about eight million other questions, but she held her tongue. “What do you want to be?” she asked carefully.
“Anyone but myself,” I murmured.
Chapter 10
Artie and I wound up at the Squawking Parrot, a bar we hadn’t been to since we’d gotten tangled up in Dionysus’ bad side several months ago. It was just as loud and as bright as I remembered. I had to walk sideways through the door because of my enormous pixie wings. One iridescent wing whacked the edge of the door sending multi-colored glitter spiraling through the air. Surprisingly that made me happy. Nothing could cheer a girl up like copious amounts of glitter. Artie choked behind me and mumbled a few curses under her breath but she followed me in to mingle with the masses.
Booming music shook the walls of the club. It pounded through my body and my heart. Tension bled out of my shoulders, slow and easy. I did an awkward shuffle and turn so I could see my friend. A reluctant grin slid across her face.
“You look ridiculous,” she said.
I returned her grin. “I know!” I’d twirled my hair up and let certain pieces fall in cascades of spiral curls. Glittery pink and gold makeup in a swirling pattern covered most of my face. I wore a gauzy garment of pink and gold, and left my legs bare but covered in more glitter. Enormous wings covered my back and if the air conditioner blew just right they would flutter slightly, releasing a cloud of glitter on unsuspecting party goers.
Artie, on the other hand, had stayed true to her geekdom. She’d dressed as the Morrigan from the Dragon Age games. I’d tinted her hair to a deep black-blue and swirled it into a high bun, leaving only wisps of straight bangs coming across the side of her forehead. She wore black leather fitted pants, high boots and a shirt that wasn’t really a shirt. It was a cleverly draped cut of fabric that swooped around the edges of her chest. Underneath that was a minuscule black leather bra. A single raven wing peeked over her right shoulder and in her hand she carried a tall staff with limbs branching out from the top of it.
I hesitated to help her when she told me what she wanted to be because if God could show up in my living room who’s to say a pissed off Morrigan couldn’t? But...she looked hot and was having fun being a huge nerd, so I’d helped her put it together. With the help of pictures, of course. I’d never even heard of the video game before today.
We made a motley pair - me, covered in glitter and gold dust and her covered in shades of blood red and black. It was par for the course with us.
We carefully made our way over to the bar and who could blame me if I used a little burst of magic to clear a path for us? It was crowded and we were thirsty. None of these people could say they had the kind of Halloween I’d had, so I didn’t feel too guilty about it.
Moments later we had frosty drinks in our hands and a view of the stage where the costume contest was moments away from beginning. I thought ours were pretty great, but n
either of us had thought to sign up when we walked in. I was content to sit here and sip a drink all night if it kept me out of the way of the other gods.
It was loud enough and Artie and I were comfortable enough with each other that we didn’t feel the need to talk much. We sat back, enjoyed people watching and waited for the contest to start.
And when it did…
Oh boy.
The first few costumes were pretty lame - sexy witches and nurses bought from those cheap catalogs where everything is made with trash bag material. Those received the appropriate amount of catcalls and wolf whistles until they were unceremoniously shuffled from the stage to make room for the next wave.
A few good puns, some creative paranormal creatures, and a few celebrities passed through and it was time for the last wave.
I gasped so hard I choked on my fruity drink and spent the next few priceless seconds with my head between my knees.
“Typhon,” I gasped from between my legs when Artie asked me what was wrong.
“What?” she yelled in my ear.
I sat up abruptly, trying to clear my throat from the shock I’d just had.
“TYPHON!” I yelled at her and pointed to the stage.
The man who’d had a hand in ruining my relationship with Hermes was on stage. But he wasn’t dressed in a costume. Of course, no one except for Artie and me knew that. Gasps of shock and whispers of awe rattled around us as he stood on the stage, a self-satisfied grin on his face. He walked upon two coiled serpents. No. He glided upon those serpents. I winced in horror as he strode across the stage. Zeus was going to find out about this and he was going to strike Typhon down.
I was certain of it.
Artie’s gasp of surprise echoed my own. “Oh shit,” she murmured. “Zeus is going to kill him.”
The insanity of it and this night began to wear on me. A laugh bubbled up in my throat. “But I bet he wins the contest.”
“Abby!” Artie exclaimed. “That’s terrible.”
But I didn’t miss the smirk that appeared on her face just as fast as it disappeared.
He’d shrunk down his height. I guess he had to do that to be able to fit in the building. He’d also made some aspects of his monster form less...monstrous. So as not to scare the children I suppose. His chest was massive and covered in red and golden scales swirled in a spiral pattern. They disappeared around his waist, no doubt to curl around his muscular back. Golden wings spread from behind his back and engulfed the majority of the stage, forcing him to step to the back of his competitors. The man was beautiful. Gorgeous beyond compare. But there was no way someone would be able to make a costume like this without a massive budget. Or magic. From the looks his competitor’s was giving him on the stage, they knew it too.
So what was he even doing there? Everyone knew he probably didn’t need the money. He didn’t seem like the kind of guy to do things for attention. I sat up a little straighter and winced as my wings caught on the bottom of the table and rocked our drinks. “Sorry,” I muttered.
I untangled myself, grabbed my drink and downed it in one gulp.
“No,” Artie said.
“Yes.” I was going to save Typhon from himself.
“Stop getting involved.”
“It’s possible in a few months time I’m going to be married to this dumb lunkhead. Someone needs to keep him alive.”
One perfect little eyebrow rose at me making me think about what I’d just said to her.
If Typhon was taken out of the picture, I would be free. Free to choose. Free to stay single. Free to try and get Hermes back.
If it were the old me, I would have sat back and enjoyed the show.
My mouth twisted in annoyance at myself. Why couldn’t I take the easy way out anymore?
Artie patted me on the shoulder in sympathy. “If it’s any consolation, I like this Abby better.”
I grumbled under my breath, turned on my glamour, and strode up to the stage.
Annoyance flickered in my veins. I’d just told myself I wouldn’t do this anymore, yet here I was, glamour turned on like high beams while on Earth, practically a target for Zeus or Hermes to come and strike me down. I needed to be quick.
The path of people flowed away from me, the once hushed whispers now silent in awe.
My hair flowed free and full down my back. My feet bare, my legs an inch longer, a shade tanner, a little more toned. The wings disappeared leaving me only clad in the gauzy gown I’d dressed in. I turned it up a little more and willed Typhon to focus on me. His gaze slowly turned to mine. His eyes narrowed for an instant before they clouded over and went slack.
Good.
It was nice to know my powers worked on someone like him. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I stepped onto the stage, the club now quiet. People moved away from me like water.
In front of Typhon, I reached up and curled my fingers around the back of his curly hair.
“You want to come with me,” I whispered.
“I do. I want to come with you,” he whispered back.
“Good.” I clasped him around his waist.
His arms reached around to gather me into a hug. I startled and gazed up at him not expecting him to touch me. A devilish twinkle began in his eyes.
Oh. Crap.
“Gotcha.”
The world fell away.
“You can’t just keep transporting me places. It would be nice if you just asked me for once.”
“That would be entirely too easy, darling,” Typhon said. His lean body sprawled across the couch, one foot resting on the floor, the other leg stretched across it. He’d morphed back into his human guise which I was grateful for. I liked regular Typhon more than scary monster Typhon.
“Artie is going to worry about me.”
He waved a carefree hand at me. “She knows you’re here with me.”
Of course she did. “How did you even know I was there?”
Typhon shrugged a powerful shoulder. “I didn’t. I was there having fun but I noticed you as soon as you walked in. Then I decided to mess with you a little bit.”
I flung myself down in the recliner and sighed. “We were flinging enough power to attract the attention of any immortals twenty miles away.”
“It was fun, though.”
I couldn’t help my snort of amusement. “You’re incorrigible.”
“And handsome.”
I sat up abruptly. “What about everyone in the club? They just saw us disappear!”
Typhon chest rumbled in amusement. “Relax. The club is in stasis. It’s fine. Just chill with me here for a few minutes and I’ll take us right back to where we were. No worries.”
“Stasis?” I repeated dumbly. “You froze everyone?”
Typhon’s gaze slid to mine. It was heated with amusement and something else, something a little wicked. “Just for a moment. I’ve wanted to talk to you and since you so conveniently dropped into my lap -”
“I didn’t drop anywhere,” I grumbled.
“Oh yes, you were only planning to kidnap me and make me behave.” Typhon sighed dramatically. “Sometimes you are zero fun.”
“Maybe I should have just duct taped your mouth shut,” I mumbled under my breath.
“Duct tape is so much more fun when kidnapping is involved.”
I rolled my eyes and sat back in the comfortable chair. When I saw the cloud of glitter poof from my body I shot Typhon an evil grin and rubbed my back, arms, and legs all over the chair sending an enormous amount of glitter and body dust swirling around me.
But his grin widened and mine began to falter.
“Where are we?” I demanded.
“One of Zeus’ secret studies.” If possible, his grin grew even larger.
I blanched. Zeus was angry enough at me and here I was ruining his secret furniture.
Typhon waggled his eyebrows at me. “Go ahead. You know you want to.”
“You’re a terrible influence.” But I stood up anyway and, with an evi
l smile, I gathered magic into my hands. With one hand I quickly installed a tarp and attached it to all four corners of the ceiling. With the other, I loaded it chock full of glitter and heart confetti.
The cover would fall as soon as Zeus walked into the room covering him with enough sparkles to choke off the drainage pipes of New York City. He was going to be furious with me.
Typhon nodded in approval. “Simple, yet dramatic. Good job.”
I pretended to polish my nails against my shoulder. “Thank you, kind sir.”
The amusement fell from his face in an instant. “Now, I want to talk to you about the games.”
I closed my eyes and thunked my head against the back of the chair. “Do we have to?” I didn’t want to think about them. At all.
“You promised.”
“I know I did,” I grumbled.
“The time has come to pay your due.”
I cracked one eye open at him.
He sat there, so handsome and serious. “You really want this, don’t you?”
Surprise flickered across his face. “Of course I do. Why else would I agree to such a harebrained scheme?”
“Because that’s what we do?” It was. Immortals grew bored so they did outrageous things to keep themselves entertained.
Hurt skittered across his gaze before he schooled his face back into blankness. “It’s not what I do. I’d like to win your hand fair and square.”
Fair and square to him, not to me though. To me, fair would be choosing. So I put all of my cards on the table. “Hermes will not show up. He was furious when he found out.”
There was no surprise there. Had Typhon known?
He leaned forward. “You underestimate your pull, fair goddess. He will show up and…” he paused and a pained expression crossed his face, “if he doesn’t I think we should be prepared for other surprises.”
I tilted my head in inquiry. “Such as?” God’s words came rushing back to me.
Impossible. And not only impossible, I was a fool for even letting Hades cross my mind during this conversation. Foolish, foolish girl.
