The Fire of Hestia

by Shannon Reber

  He looked toward the sound, surprised to find that Janus’ glamour had faded. The three headed dog stared at him with his hackles raised as those heads all bared their teeth at him.

  Aetos had no idea how it had happened. It was clear the cerberus was not pleased to be back in his usual form. It was an almost comical sight. The three heads, enormous body, and quaggy ground did not make Janus’ run easy.

  Aetos turned his eyes back to the area around them. It couldn’t matter if Janus was angry to be back in his true form. What mattered was to find Spencer.

  He picked up speed when he heard sounds ahead of them. It was a mix of growls, roars, shrieks, and voices, all of them sounding at once. The clamour was amazing. It only grew louder as they neared a single bowed tree.

  He could see a small hoard of creatures advancing on Spencer. What gave him pause was the white figure in their midst. It was a teenage girl in a white dress, her hands covered in blood. The woman in white Spencer had exiled a few months before.

  Adrenaline rose inside him and his power began to work. His ability to, in essence manipulate gravity, made it seem as though he could fly. He simply pushed himself off the ground and was able to remain in midair, his bow and arrow pointed at the figure who had once been Emma Gregory.

  As he watched, though, he was able to see that the girl wasn’t attacking Spencer. She stood in front of him, shielding him as another creature clawed at her. The fact she stood between them and Spencer made her a target as well.

  Aetos fired off an arrow at the monster closest to them, a little surprised to see Janus with a creature in each mouth, shaking his heads vigorously. He was impressed by the speed and power of the cerberus, even more impressed when Janus dove at another creature. Aetos loosed another arrow, pleased to see the creature he aimed at fall.

  He was disconcerted as the mob thinned, to see Spencer propped against the tree, his eyes barely open. He wasn’t sure what it meant. He had to find out quickly. He raised his bow to loose another arrow, his eyes a little stunned as purple light filled the air around them.

  Aetos turned to look, seeing that Gabe Sheenan stood, his eyes glowing the same purple as the magic around them. Those creatures cringed back, obviously terrified . . . and most of them appeared human. Gabe had nixed them all.

  The power of Spencer’s family was beyond anything he had ever heard of. They all held legendary abilities. Aetos' mind turned back to a prophecy he had read as a child.

  One with the power to nix. One with the power to exile. One with the power to stop death. One with the power to speak with the dead. One with unmatched intelligence. Together, they will bring about the annihilation of humanity yet they will also be its saving. When the child vanishes, the worlds will be saved.

  He had a feeling he’d met all the players in that particular prophecy other than the child. And it seemed things were heading in the direction of humanity’s annihilation. What did it all mean, though?

  Aetos' eyes turned to look at Spencer. He was the only thing that mattered. The future was of no concern to him at all. His only concern was to get Spencer out of Perdition.

  He drew another arrow, aiming it at a big man who’d been getting ready to throw the woman in white out of his way. “Step back or find out what happens when a soul dies in this place,” he called, inclining his head as the man’s eyes moved up to where he hovered.

  The big man swallowed hard and stepped back, then turned and fled. The rest of them scattered as well, other than Emma. The girl’s eyes, a striking blue, turned up to meet his and a small smile came to her face.

  Aetos allowed gravity to take him down, rushing forward as his feet hit the soggy ground. He and Gabe got to Spencer at the same time. Emma knelt on his other side. Her expression looked very much like concern, something Aetos had not expected to see.

  Gabe reached out, laying his hand over Spencer’s. “Come on, Spence. You made it this far. You can’t give up now,” he said, passing some of his magic into Spencer.

  He wasn’t nixing Spencer’s magic. It looked like he shared the power he had taken from the others.

  Aetos watched with interest as Spencer’s eyes fluttered, coming open slowly. “Not the best month I’ve ever had,” he said in a weak voice, his eyes scanning the area they were in.

  Gabe’s hand remained in place as he gave his cousin a small smile. “Do me a favor, man. Next time you decide to go and get yourself imprisoned by some mad scientists, make sure I’m in town first,” he said in his usual, snide tone.

  Spencer’s lips quirked in a small smile, though his eyes were fixed on the woman in white who crouched on his other side. “You look like Emma Gregory again. Are you?” he asked, his voice a little stronger than it was before.

  The girl looked down at herself, slowly raising her bloodstained hands. “I feel like me but . . . I’m not. I don’t feel bad that I killed Dylan. Those other two guys . . . I . . . I’m so sorry, Spencer. I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you when you tried to help me. I’m sorry about what I did to those other two guys. I’m . . . I’m sorry.” And tears traced their way down her cheeks.

  Spencer shifted around before he was able to sit up. “I’m not going to tell you that killing is okay. It wasn’t really you, though. When a person dies in violent circumstances and their spirit lingers, it changes the spirit. For you, it turned you into--”

  “A psycho,” she said, lifting a slim shoulder as she gave him a tiny smile. “I wasn’t much better when I was alive. I was a brat.”

  Spencer raised his brows, nudging his thumb toward Gabe. “This guy is a brat. You were just a kid.” He lifted a finger as she opened her mouth to speak. “Madison is an amazing person. I know there was more to you just because you were friends with her.”

  Emma’s eyes turned down. “Do me a favor?” she asked, going on before he could answer. “Tell Maddie that even though I think it’s ick that she’s going out with my brother, I kind of always knew they’d end up together. Tell her to trust her instincts and lean on her family. She’s got a long road ahead of her.” She paused, her brow furrowing. “And tell her not to let the dragon tear her down.”

  Spencer raised his brows, giving a slow nod. “I will,” he said, glancing over at Gabe. “We need to get back into the PSA,” he said, holding out his hand between them.

  Gabe took his hand and helped him to his feet, clapping him on the shoulder. “I was hoping you’d say that. Madison, Daw, and Dawson are on their way in. I say we call in the cavalry and bring the place down.”

  Spencer’s eyes met Aetos' and a curious look came to his face. “Will you help us?” he asked in a quiet voice.

  Aetos bowed. “I will, my lord. I do not know how long I will be permitted to remain but as long as I am with you, I will help you however I can.”

  Spencer held out his hand between them. “Aetos, stop calling me that. I’m Spencer. That’s all,” he said and the kingly aura about him intensified.

  Aetos bowed again. “I understand,” he said, shivering slightly as Janus stopped next to him.

  Spencer looked at the cerberus and his mouth fell open. “Janus?” he asked, his mouth curved into a wide smile.

  The cerberus’ tongues all lolled out and he lifted his front paw as though for Spencer to shake.

  He laughed and took the paw, peering from Janus to Aetos. “Janus, you were sent to kill Aetos, weren’t you?” he asked, taking a step closer. “You will not kill Aetos. Do you hear me?”

  A very dog-like whine came from the cerberus and all of a sudden, a light shone around them. Janus had just sworn his loyalty to Spencer.

  Aetos' eyes bugged. Right then, he knew that no matter what, he would stand with Spencer. He was a good man and would be a just ruler of the underworld when his time came.

  NINETEEN

  It was an ominous feeling as we stepped into the freezer. Yes, it did make a cold shiver pass over me. The cold felt like a warning. Could it be?

  I had made a catastrophic mistake when I
had ignored the internal warning in Bhesaj’s hotel room. Could the feeling be another warning? Erramun had told me I was in a position to save Luken. That meant I needed to get into the PSA . . . didn’t it?

  I glanced back at the guys and a feeling of peace washed over me. They were there with me. My family. My brothers.

  And my doubts faded. Yes, I was standing in a walk-in freezer, about to walk through a portal into another realm. I was not alone. We had a plan. It was enough.

  I shifted the bag I had taken back from Dawson and counted to three. Be brave. I told myself and stepped up to the portal.

  I had brought one of the portal generators with me just to be on the safe-side. I had also brought a lot of weapons. The three of us were ready for anything . . . or I hoped we were, anyway.

  We had decided that Dawson should remain invisible just in case, so Daw and I walked side-by-side to the portal. “You ready?” I asked, my heart pounding so hard, I felt a little lightheaded.

  “As ready as I’m gonna get,” he said, bumping me with his arm. “I forgot to tell you I’m dating a girl you know.”

  I glanced at him, wondering why he would bring up his dating life right then.

  “Hadley Novak,” he said with a smile. “I really like her too.”

  I blinked, my mind showing me an image of Hadley the last time I’d seen her. It had been five months before . . . and she had broken the hand of the guy who’d kidnapped her. I hadn’t seen her since that time. If she was recovered enough to be dating, it was an amazing thing.

  It was also kind of funny. We were standing in a big, walk-in freezer with our breath puffing out in front of us, packaged foods all around, and Daw was telling me about his girlfriend. I had the urge to pick up what looked like a frozen steak and present it to him in honor of the occasion.

  Daw smirked at me as we stopped by a gateway similar to what was in the Axis Mundi. “Just thought you’d like something to think about that has nothing to do with our situation here,” he said, jerking forward a little like Dawson had punched him or something.

  I was pleased by the idea. He was a good guy. He was funny, sweet, loyal, and there was also steel under the surface. He might be the perfect person for Hadley. I hoped it was true, anyway.

  And for some reason, he was right. The idea of him and Hadley as a couple helped me to focus past all the anxiety bubbling inside me. There was light in the world. It wasn’t all darkness and depression.

  I took in a deep breath and nodded to him. “You and Hadley will make the world’s cutest babies,” I teased, hoping to wipe the snide smirk off his face.

  Like I’d hoped, he blanched a little. “Come on, Madison. We’ve only been on a couple of dates. Give me at least a couple more before you start planning my wedding.”

  And a genuine smile came to my lips. It was so good to have my family there with me. We WERE family. All of us. They were what mattered.

  I pulled out one of the cans of demon mace and nodded, taking a step through the portal. Daw remained by my side and I could feel Dawson follow us. We were officially leaving our world behind.

  I had passed through a portal a few times before. That one felt different. It didn’t feel like we’d passed through a portal at all. There was no change other than the fact it wasn’t cold anymore. My ears didn’t pop like usual. It felt kind of like walking through any old door.

  What I saw in front of me was a hallway. It looked like a simple corridor, similar to a doctor’s office. There were fluorescent lights, boring prints on the walls, and a few doors.

  I blinked a few times, trying to figure out where we were supposed to go or why such an innocent looking hallway felt so ominous. And it did feel ominous.

  It would have felt more natural to have us appear at some kind of security station, with metal detectors, and security guards around. Seeing nothing of the kind made me feel like I’d missed something. What had I missed, though?

  “Go back,” Daw said in a harsh voice, his eyes fixed in front of him like he was transfixed.

  I opened my mouth to speak, to tell him there was no way I was going back . . . but my mouth wouldn’t move. I blinked again. It was the only movement I could make. Even my tongue was frozen in place. That was when I saw him.

  A figure stepped into the hallway, his body taller than anyone I had ever met. He had to be close to seven feet tall. He was not an intimidating figure, though.

  I had seen his picture in the file, so knew immediately he must be Luken. He appeared so normal, not like I had expected a Nephilim to appear.

  He looked me straight in the eye, then looked away. There was a shyness about him. It didn’t make sense. He was a being with immense power. Arrogance would have been a far more normal personality trait.

  The guy who kind of shuffled his way toward us was nothing like I had expected. He was a nice looking guy, nothing spectacular about him at all. The silvery undertone to his skin was like Erramun’s though not to the same level.

  His expression changed when the sound of footsteps filled the air and several men came into view. Luken didn’t look shy any longer. He looked dangerous.

  He turned his lips up in a sardonic smirk and waved a hand at us. “Look at this. We’ve got some visitors. Where’s the welcome mat when you really need it?”

  A couple of those guys grinned at the ‘joke’. The others ignored him. It was like they saw him as unworthy of their notice. What. Was. Going. On?

  I tried to fight my way free of whatever held me in place. It was impossible. At a guess, I’d say it was Luken’s power holding us in place. Maybe I was wrong, though.

  I looked around as much as my unmovable body would allow and realization clubbed me over the head. There was a tablet on the wall just inside the portal and a glowing, green line on the floor. Somehow, they had come up with a technological way of locking us down.

  “Take their weapons and bring them to one of the holding rooms,” a man I couldn’t see said, moving off like he was all too used to his minions doing as they were told.

  And the minions did just that. One of them walked to the tablet I had seen and tapped the screen a few times. As he did, whatever held us in place moved, making us move as well.

  It was like being on a moving walkway. If I wasn’t so freaked out, I would be impressed by the obvious mix of magic and science.

  The fact I couldn’t move my body at all was one of the scariest things that had ever happened to me. I was a prisoner inside the force field. It was downright horrifying.

  I took in as much as I could as we floated along. There was nothing spectacular about the area at all. It resembled a doctor’s office.

  There were a few people around but they all stayed out of the way. At a guess, If they stepped inside the glowing green box on the floor, they’d probably be frozen as well. It looked like I had to wait for my opportunity.

  Since plan A had been a fail and plan B wouldn’t work, it looked like plan C was in play. The moment I was free, there was work to do.

  Adrenaline pulsed its way through me as a door slid open in front of us. It was a glass door on a glass wall that had slid to the side on silent rollers. The walls and floors of the cage were white with long benches bolted into the walls, ones that somehow made the cage look even more ominous.

  The glowing line stopped just before we got to the entrance. Panic filled me. I could not be in that enclosed space. I couldn’t handle it.

  The PSA had no concern for my claustrophobia. All they seemed to care about was to force us inside the box. Please, please no. I cannot handle it.

  The line moved forward, making us pass into the box. The green line remained around us until the glass door slid back into place. As soon as the door was sealed, the green line vanished.

  Daw swore loudly and turned back to face the glass wall. “What gives you the right to--”

  “The right?” one of them cut in, holding up my bag containing most of the weapons I’d brought. “You break into our facility with this
kind of weaponry, lay out the guards at our entrance, and you think we don’t have the right to stop you?”

  “Right,” Daw said, snapping his fingers like he’d made some kind of realization. “So you’re some kind of saint, stopping us from coming in to free the people you’ve locked up.”

  I heard the voices but couldn’t concentrate on them. My heart was racing. My chest ached. My stomach rolled. I couldn’t catch my breath. I needed to get out of there. I had to. I would lose my mind if I didn’t.

  My breaths edged toward hyperventilation as I pressed my hands to the glass, trying to find some way out. Black spots floated in front of my eyes as I beat weakly on the glass. My knees wobbled, taking me down to the ground as the group all stared at me.

  I didn’t see the group. I saw myself as a little girl, begging Mom not to lock me in the closet. Begging. Pleading. I couldn’t breathe in there. She didn’t care.

  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’ll be good. I swear I’ll be good,” I said over and over.

  “You’re never good. Never. You’re a stupid, useless little brat.” She grabbed my hair and yanked me closer, pinching me with her long nails.

  I had begged, pleaded for her to stop. She never did. She hurt me in so many ways, making me feel as though I deserved it. I had been bad, so she was teaching me.

  I couldn’t breathe in the closet. I couldn’t breathe but she would block the door closed with a chair and leave.

  She rarely left a mark on my skin. She knew how to hurt me. And I could feel it. I felt like the little girl I had been, begging Mom to stop, to let me out. The worst part was, the only time she really looked at me was when I was bad, so I did things to make her angry, all to be seen by her.

  “Madison?”

  “I’ll be good. Please. Let me out. I’ll be good,” I whispered, unable to take it anymore.