And then she smiled. “And, just as I can’t destroy you, you can’t destroy me, either. Oh, I’ll end at your hands. I don’t doubt that. This avatar will fall, and I’ll go on. I’ll forget you and everything that happened here.” She stopped, laughed. “But you won’t. You’ll live with it forever. You’ll replay watching your demon friend die, seeing your mother near death. It will haunt you, every single day of your miserable existence. You will know that you failed as Nether’s prison. Maybe she will succeed where so many others have failed.”
“Don’t hold your breath,” I said, still watching her. I could feel what was happening. As she talked to me, doing the stereotypical super-villain monologue thing, her demons and shifters had started approaching me from behind. There were around twenty of them back there. I tried to pretend I couldn’t feel them. They were creeping silently along the boardwalk, excitement and nervousness flooding from them. Love and desire. Not for me. For Strife.
“How did you know Nether was in me?” I asked her, trying to make it seem like I was clueless.
She smiled. She really was insanely beautiful. Perfect. I almost wanted to believe she wasn’t a monster based on that one smile. It was easy to see how she’d convinced so many to die for her.
“Elsoloth brought me your daddy’s helmet. Fun little thing to play with. You have no idea how many times I was in your home. How many times I stood and watched as your friends relaxed, as you and your demon lover shared moments you thought were private. It was easy to share that knowledge with Aphrodite. She had just as much reason to hate you as I did. She was supposed to go for the little vampire first. I would have loved watching you mourn her after you saved her from death once already.”
Rage coursed through me and I felt dizzy with it. Nauseous.
“I am the most powerful I’ve been in years,” Strife said, laughing. “The last time I felt this good, I was standing in London during the second World War.”
Her people were right behind me and I could feel her glee at the idea that she’d pulled one over on me.
I smiled at her and the air around me exploded in white flames. I heard the screams of her little army as they fell, and I walked forward out of the flames.
She tried to take off, and I rematerialized behind her before she could disappear.
“Fine, you Fury bitch. Just kill me. I’ve done everything I wanted to do.”
I watched her, keeping a strong grip on her arm.
She was stronger than she’d been in a very long time.
I could feel it, how much power coursed through her.
I yanked my sleeve up, revealing the stone containing the souls of Ares and Dionysus.
“Oh, I’m not going to kill you,” I said softly.
She did try to fight her way away from me then, but I kept a grip on her. She tried to rematerialize and I refused to let her go anywhere.
“Eris, spirit of chaos,” I began, and she started screaming, panicking. The wooden boardwalk behind us burned, creaking with the damage. It would all fall soon.
“For your crimes, for the deaths of countless mortals, as well as the deaths of two of my friends and eleven of my allies, I sentence you to spend eternity trapped in a prison made entirely of the Nether,” I continued, and she continued shrieking, the fear coming off of her feeding me, strengthening me, and I didn’t even need it. I smiled.
“It will be so.”
As I said the words, she gave a higher-pitched shriek, and I watched as she dissolved into a silvery mist, just as Ares and Dionysus had. She wailed, and the mist hung in the air above me. Within moments, it spiraled toward the stone in my armband and then there was nothing left of the spirit of chaos.
I could feel her in the stone, raging, her power strengthening me further, making me so strong I felt practically drunk with it. That would be the last time I’d be able to play that particular trick. The stone could only hold three souls, based on what Nether had shown me when I was trapped in my grave and she was showing me how to strengthen myself.
Good thing she hadn’t known that my life and the powers she’d given me would spell her end someday. I hated doing this. I hated the way it felt to have these angry souls imprisoned, to gain strength from them.
But Nether would be nothing but ruthless when she struck me. And I would have to be as well.
I looked around. The wet vines growing on the boardwalk had ended up making the fire fizzle out, and smoke still rose into the air from the burnt bodies of Strife’s army.
I walked along the boardwalk. I hadn’t even gotten a chance to throw a punch, I thought to myself.
Sometimes, it’s not all about smashing, I guess.
I looked around through the former reptile house, looking for the only thing Strife had that I’d ever wanted, and I found it, stuffed into one of the empty tanks, wrapped in a white cloth.
My father’s helmet. I ran my fingers along Hephaestus’s fine, detailed work. No one would sneak up on my family that way again.
No one would watch us without our knowledge.
I took a deep breath. Nain and I had some things to talk about, and I wasn’t looking forward to it.
I rose into the air, clutching my father’s helmet in my hand, and flew away from the island.
I flew over the city, back home toward the loft. I could have just rematerialized, but I needed the time to think. So much had happened since I’d left the loft that morning. Brennan’s little revelation. The loss of my imps. Meeting my grandmother. Strife.
How was I going to keep everyone safe?
We had immortals in our world now who were openly against us. Two Titans who’d escaped from the Nether.
And then we had Nether herself, who would come after everything I held dear as soon as she’d generated a body.
The loft came into view, and I could see Nain on the roof. Along with Artemis. They both saw me, watched as I landed on the roof a few feet away from them.
“Hey babe,” Nain said, looking me over.
“Hey.”
“Anything new?” he asked.
“Oh, a thing or two,” I said, my eyes on Artemis, who was watching me just as closely.
“Fury, relax,” she said, “I’d rather not die today.”
“Did you know?” I asked, and she nodded.
“Molls,” Nain said, and I turned to him. “We were just talking about Brennan. He talked to you?”
I nodded, not able to trust my voice, still not quite able to believe what Brennan had told me.
“I knew, baby,” he said. “I knew.”
“And you didn’t think to share that with me?” I asked him. “You didn’t think to step in and say ‘hey, Molly. The whole reason he wants you is so he can tell his little government buddies all about you?’”
“Yeah, except that that wasn’t why he wanted you and everybody including you knows that,” he said. ”I knew they were watching. It didn’t matter. And when was I supposed to tell you that? When you were already in love with him and I thought you maybe had a chance at being happy? Or maybe when I wanted you back so bad I could have killed him? It was his place to tell you or whoever else he’s been watching, not mine. I wasn’t going to come running to you telling you something he should have been man enough to tell you in the first place.” He paused. “And I know him. He did it to protect us.”
“Right. He was all about protecting us,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Do you really think he told them everything? That him agreeing to work with them wasn’t as much about controlling the flow of information as anything else? Having one of our own in there, deciding how much they are allowed to know just makes sense,” he said. “Give the man a little credit.” He paused. “I can’t fucking believe I just said that.”
Artemis laughed, then she looked at me. “He loved you. He still does. He’s just trying to learn how to love you in a different way. Do not think for a second that he didn’t.”
“So, what? Everything is just fine between all of
you?”
“I knew we were being watched. He told them what he thought they needed to know. Not everything,” Nain said, and Artemis nodded.
“He wanted to tell you,” Artemis said. “He knew you would hate him once you found out. We all know how private you are. By the time he wanted to, you were together and he knew it would end you.”
“Right. Had to keep me close to keep spying on me,” I said. “I guess I can see how you could be okay with this,” I said to Nain. “This is what you do. This is the game you all play. But I can’t be okay with it. It’s just a little too personal. Don’t expect me to work with him.” I paused, and they both watched me. I closed my eyes, fought back a wave of exhaustion. Time to change the subject.
“Strife is gone. We need to move everyone before Nether regenerates.” I took a breath. “How are things?”
“They’re okay, somewhat,” Nain said. “Still fighting in the streets. Mobs of dumbass Normals organizing to try to hunt down supernaturals. That’s not working out very well for them,” he finished. I could sense what he wanted from me.
“You think Jones and Brennan are right,” I said softly, meeting his eyes. “That shit they’re asking me to do.”
He reached out and took my hands. “I think you need to do what you think is right. And whatever you decide, I’m with you.”
I glanced at Artemis. “Can you excuse us?”
“Sure. I will see you, Mollis,” she said, and I nodded, my eyes on Nain.
When she was gone, I set my dad’s helmet down. I went to Nain, let him fold me in his arms.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Brennan,” he murmured, his deep voice vibrating through me. “It wasn’t my place. Besides that, it was just something I was used to, and I figured it might never have to come out at all. I didn’t want you to think I was trying to use what I knew about him to win you back or some shit like that. I wanted you to come to me because you wanted me, not because you were pissed at him.”
“I know. It’s fine,” I said, resting my face against his chest. Tired of fighting and emotional bullshit. I breathed him in, let his touch soothe my frazzled nerves.
“Did you really kill Strife?” he asked.
“I didn’t kill her. Ares and Dionysus have company now,” I said.
He stood and held me in silence. “Why?”
“Because I need to be stronger.” I told him about my imps. About my grandmother and what she’d said, and when I was done, he just stood and held me. Anger, protectiveness, concern washed over me. Love, desire. I let myself feel it. All of it.
Then I pulled back and looked up at him. “So. Given what I just told you, are you sure you don’t wanna run?”
He smiled. “There is nothing that is going to make me leave your side, Molls.”
“Ready to put that in blood, demon?”
I felt a leap of happiness, possessiveness from him. “You already know the answer to that.”
I smiled and pulled my knife, the brown ribbon from his dresser drawer, the one we’d originally used when we’d bonded, out of my pocket.
“You came prepared. Eager, are we?” he asked, smirking.
“Just a little,” I told him, and he reached down and squeezed my waist. “We’re doing this, and a little more.”
“A whole lot more,” he said, and I laughed.
“I’m going to claim you,” I said, meeting his eyes.
“What does that mean?”
“It means you’re mine. I claim you, and I’m a powerful goddamn immortal, and you’ll be even stronger than you already are once I make you mine. You get a little of my power, and I can always, always find my way back to you.”
He watched me, need and possessiveness roaring over me. He gave me a nod, eyes locked on mine.
The evening air was cool around us; the sky clear. The nearly-full moon shone bright in the darkness. We stood on the roof, the city twinkling around us, night noises comforting in the distance.
He slit his wrist, and passed the knife to me. I slit mine as well, and we pressed them together. Nain wound the ribbon around our wrists, and we stood, my hands in his, fingers entwined. His lips were on mine, devouring me, and I felt the moment the bonding began, the moment his blood flowed into my body again, and I gasped, shivered at the sensation. He groaned, satisfaction rolling off of him, and he was completely open to me in that moment. Love, desire, possessiveness. Determination to do better this time around, to be the man I deserved. I closed my eyes, and smiled against his lips. Time for a little something extra.
Mine, I thought, focusing my powers, the ones I had as an immortal child of the Nether. I thought the word over and over and over again, putting my power behind it, claiming my husband.
“Holy shit,” he rasped, feeling it the second my bond took hold, as it wrapped itself around the bond we’d already been making. His heart was pounding, and the raw desire coming from him was enough to make me blush, even as I knew he was feeling the same from me. He’d know, now, what I was feeling. Physically, at least. Just as he had for a little while the first time we’d bonded. We stood there until our wounds healed, and he slowly unwound the ribbon.
His eyes were glowing, the effect of our bonding making itself evident. We might make it to the bed. Maybe.
“That was… wow,” he said, his voice rough.
“I’m not losing you again. Ever,” I said as he put his arms around my body.
“This is forever, Molly. Whatever comes next, we’re facing it together.”
“I love you, my husband,” I whispered.
“Come and show me how much, wife,” he said, his voice a low growl in the night.
And I did.
Epilogue
I stood in the lobby of the Fisher Building, podium full of mics in front of me, the mayor of Detroit, the new chief of police, the head of homeland security, and Brennan (dressed in a dark suit and tie, which looked both weird and oddly right) standing behind me. I tried to focus on not turning around and strangling my former boyfriend.
There were rows of folding chairs full of reporters in front of me, others standing around watching. Lights glaring at me from every direction. Nain stood near the back of the crowd, along with Heph. Watching me. Watching for threats.
I took a deep breath. Looked directly into the nearest camera. I couldn’t bring Jones back, but I could grant the last favor he’d ever asked of me, no matter how badly I wanted to tell this particular little task force to go fuck themselves. There was no way to avoid it now, anyway. And if I could save lives, it was worth it.
“The citizens of Detroit know me as the Angel,” I began, and I could hear my voice wavering. Nerves. “For years, I have saved those who were believed lost. I have protected the innocent from the nightmares that walk among us. Countless women, girls, boys, and men have made it back to their loved ones because I or my friends interceded.” I paused, swallowed. This was more terrifying than just about anything else I’d done recently.
“You’ve seen the news reports. You’ve seen unbelievable things these past few weeks. And so, I’m here today to tell you what you already know: supernatural beings exist. We walk among you. We always have. We are your neighbors, your co-workers. Many of us are just like you, trying to raise our families and live a content life.”
“And there are others. There are those who believe our powers make us superior. There are those who crave power. Control. And there are those, like me, who have made it their life’s mission to fight against those who would harm you. Just as there are noble humans and evil humans, there are noble supernaturals and evil supernaturals, and everything in between. You cannot know, from looking at most of us, what we are.”
I took another breath, glanced toward Nain, whose eyes were on me. You’re doing good, Molls.
“And here’s where I make my plea to you. If you know of me, you know that I have always been on your side. You have prayed to me, when all other hope was lost. You know I have been this city’s guardian for
years. So when I ask this of you, I hope you’ll listen. Trying to hunt supernaturals, trying to hunt us down, believing you’ll keep the world safe from us, is a fool’s notion. The strongest among you is nothing compared to the weakest supernatural. And yes, there are supernaturals out there causing trouble. Leave them to me. I will take care of them. You can’t hope to do anything against them.”
“I have come out of the shadows. I have made myself known, so you know that there is someone out there protecting you. I’m one of many, but I’m the one you know. I’m here, on behalf of myself, my friends and allies, and our government to tell you that yes, we exist. And that when one of us steps out of line, I will be there to protect you. I swear it on everything I am. I am supernatural. I am on your side. And I will protect you until I take my final breath.”
“Thank you.”
END OF BOOK FOUR
* * *
Keep reading for a sneak peek at
the final book in the Hidden series
Nether: Hidden Book Five
Nether: Chapter One
Mollis Eth-Hades, if we're being fancy.
Telepath.
Godslayer.
Smasher of all kinds of things.
Protector of the city of Detroit.
And not just that.
I'm a daughter.
A friend.
A wife.
Good thing I'm as scary as I am. It is going to take every bit of my insane amount of power to keep the people in my life safe. For the first time in a very long time, I am facing something stronger than me. Crazier than me. Meaner than me.
Nether.
But if she comes after the people I love?
I will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. And all that darkness I've been holding back? All that power I've been afraid of using?
Well. I guess we'll see what I'm really capable of. With two Titans, an insane primordial spirit, and a handful of pissed off gods free in my world, I've got my work cut out for me.
Strife: Hidden Book Four Page 26
