I was proud of her. I smirked, nodding back.
“You helped me right a wrong,” Aphrodite said calmly, drawing my attention back. “Thank you.”
Hephaestus pointed at Aphrodite’s wrists. “I slapped some new Titan Thorns on—and the key is not love, like the ones you wore. Pandora implied—very strongly—that I needed your permission to deal with my wife,” he said, casting a heavy glare my way to show me what he thought about that.
Pandora rolled her eyes. “Father,” she said, rolling her eyes and drawing out the word in an embarrassed tone. A faint smile tugged at the edge of his lips at his dad win.
I nodded thoughtfully, studying Aphrodite. “Can you give me a few minutes, Lord Hephaestus? There is a lot more to the situation than meets the eye, and I would hate to make a hasty, emotional decision. Tempers are high tonight.”
He straightened at my respectful tone. “As you wish…Master Temple,” he added, sounding appreciative and thoughtful.
I smiled, dipping my chin. “Thank you.” I made my way back to my Horsemen. I quickly caught them up on my adventures on Olympus, showing them the new staff. They each nodded, agreeing unanimously. Then they bonded their essence to the staff—all of them chose their blood. Each left a strange symbol burned into the wood, in a vertical column from top to bottom.
The four of us turned to Ares and Apollo, who had heard everything I’d said and now looked absolutely horrified. Stunned silent. To hear they’d been ostracized…had broken them. They’d truly never believed that such a punishment could happen to men like them. Which was the whole point of the Dread Four. We were all about educating the gods, one soul at a time. Within heartbeats, they began pleading and begging for their lives—suddenly finding themselves in the position of mortals before gods.
Where their lives were actually in the betting pool and the dice had come up snake eyes.
Gunnar calmly stared at them, his lone eye cold and pure.
I restated my thought. Not Gunnar…
The eye of Justice studied the pitiful wretches before him, and he meted out their sentence. He turned to Alucard and Callie and drew a line across his throat. “I’ve already killed a god, so they are yours if you want to claim them. Nate and I can handle it, if you do not want to,” he said in a neutral tone, not passing shame or judgment on either choice. I nodded my agreement.
Alucard stepped up to Apollo…
Callie stepped up to Ares…
And…they did their jobs. They didn’t smile. But there was no forgiveness or mercy either. I knew the gods deserved their fates, but it was still hard to watch two men beg and cry, unarmed, as they faced a demise they’d never thought possible. Dying in battle was very different than sitting on a cold rock and looking your executioner in the eyes.
Kára set her hand on my lower back supportively. She did not flinch or turn away.
The pleas ceased, and Aphrodite let out a sharp breath.
Their souls zipped up into my staff’s Devourer, crackling with red and bright white light for a moment, making the Devourer look like a rainbow. Then it dimmed.
Callie and Alucard shared a meaningful look and then turned to me. They nodded. There was no pride in the act, but satisfaction in the consequences. No one else would suffer their cruelty.
69
I made my way over to Aphrodite and met Hephaestus’ eyes. I didn’t blink. “Thank you.”
He sighed. “They deserved worse,” he said in a low whisper. “Much worse.”
I nodded my agreement, staring into Aphrodite’s terrified eyes.
I remembered everything she had done for me. Every little smile and tear we’d shared in our magical moments together. I remembered the feel of her flesh against mine. How her fingers had so carefully painted the Omegabet all over my skin. How she’d gotten me a suit. I remembered…
All the unconditional love she’d shown me.
She’d helped me fight back the carnage and find Kára. And she’d done all that so I could help her save Pandora, her husband’s daughter. Aphrodite’s words came to my mind in a soft whisper.
You inspired me to be a better step-mother to Pandora. I learned that love isn’t about blood. I refuse to let Zeus break the child worse than he already has. She was conceived in a placenta of guilt and shame and horror, born in a womb of embers and sparks from Hephaestus’ forge. Hephaestus did not put hope inside the box for mankind—he put hope inside the box for her. To protect Pandora from herself. Hope was to be her knight in shining armor…and look who is now the Horseman of Hope. You, and only you, can save her.
“You should know that she did all this for you—even more than for her hatred for her father. You,” I said, looking at Pandora and Hephaestus, “were the catalyst that finally pushed her to act rather than remain silent. If Ares and Apollo hadn’t been working for her, they would’ve been working for Zeus. Either way, we would have fought them. And ended them. They would have likely died fighting, but dead all the same.”
Pandora smiled sadly and Hephaestus looked torn, wrapping a protective arm around his daughter as he stared at his wife.
“The crimes they committed were not at my request,” Aphrodite said, lifting her chin proudly. “I did the only thing I could to try and harness their cruelty to a better purpose. I merely distracted them with trying to steal Pandora’s Box before Zeus could. So that I could reunite my husband and his daughter. I accept your judgment.” She glanced at me. Then Kára. Then Callie. “I can die with pride. I have accomplished more in the past week than the last millennia. Remember the good times,” she told us.
I didn’t let her comment sway my decision. I’d already made it. Now it was time to see where the others stood.
I glanced at Kára. “Well, she changed my life.” Kára smiled, nodding her agreement.
“Me, too,” Callie said. “I could…take her for a while. I know a safe place.”
Aphrodite pursed her lips. “I would prefer a clean death.”
Callie shook her head. “I was not implying torture. I think you might have more to teach me. Maybe some things I could teach you. About family. Perhaps love should not die this night.”
Her words hung heavy in the air, and we all turned to Hephaestus, her husband.
He nodded. “That could work.” He stared at his wife for a long while, looking torn. “I will need time to think on you, wife. I do not know if I trust you any longer. Perhaps, over time, I could try.”
Pandora nodded, clutching her father’s hand. “We could try,” she said, smiling at her stepmother.
A single tear fell from Aphrodite’s eye and she nodded, unable to voice her feelings. Then she let go, hanging her head to her chest. And she wept.
Kára smiled sadly, clutching at my hand. I squeezed back, patting it comfortingly.
With that settled, Callie set about arranging transport to Solomon’s Temple, speaking with Hephaestus and Pandora in low tones. I didn’t voice my thoughts that her secret castle had a direct connection to my Armory—since we leased the space from Callie. But Pandora’s smile—and her sudden earnest proposal that Hephaestus should stay with her in the Armory—brought a smile to my face. I agreed. It was impossible to say no to Pandora when she smiled in that way.
And I was her knight in shining armor. I wasn’t allowed to say no. There were rules.
“Sap,” Kára teased, resting her head on my shoulder. I smiled, staring out over the edge of the mountain. The storm had dissipated quickly, emitting stubborn flashes in the distance, but no rain or lightning on the mountain.
“He left,” I said, indicating the spot where Prometheus had been sitting. Pandora was frowning sadly, crestfallen.
Kára frowned. “Why?”
I sighed. “I’m not sure. I hope he’s okay.” My Riders stepped up beside me, staring out at the fading storm. “A new one is coming,” I told them.
They nodded.
“We’ll be waiting,” Gunnar said. After a few moments, I felt him staring at me like a cree
per. “We’ve been talking…” I glanced over at him, arching an eyebrow. I steadied my resolve, not sure if I liked the sound of his introduction. “We want you two to come to family movie night,” he said in a rush, his eye darting from me to Kára. He let a breath out in a rush, and relaxed his shoulders.
Alucard and Callie were grinning over his shoulder, amused at his discomfort.
I chuckled. “Okay. That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
Gunnar eyed Kára. “She makes me nervous,” he said.
Kára beamed. “Do we need to have another talk?” she asked softly.
Gunnar shook his head, parroted by Alucard.
Callie studied Kára thoughtfully. “I think we need to have a talk. Whatever Valkyrie mind games you played on them works like a charm,” she said, grinning.
Gunnar’s phone suddenly belted out the level-up mushroom sound from the original Super Mario Brothers Game, and I burst out laughing. He fumbled with it, silencing it.
He glanced down at his phone with an embarrassed frown. “Ashley’s probably wondering where I am.”
Alucard grunted. “Was there a curfew on saving the world?” he asked, sounding amused.
Gunnar shook his head uneasily, shifting from foot-to-foot. “I might have told her I was getting groceries…”
Callie cursed, throwing her hands up. “I’m done. See you morons later. Where’s Ryuu? I don’t want him catching whatever idiocy Gunnar’s sick with.”
Kára hooted with laughter, clutching at her knees. “You’re a dead man, Gunnar.”
His face grew sickly. “It was the first thing I thought of,” he mumbled.
I leaned closer, motioning for my Horsemen to huddle close. “We did a good thing tonight,” I told them. “And we did it for our families. Our family,” I amended. “I can guarantee they are more worried about you than you are about them.”
I lifted my arm and ripped open a massive Gateway to the Armory. Our friends stood on the other side. Yahn let out a shout of joy to see Alucard. Ryuu didn’t bother waiting, and leapt right through to rush to Callie’s side, gripping her face tightly and pressing his forehead to hers.
And…I winced.
Ashley had apparently found her way into the Armory.
Carl waved his huge cowboy hat at us. “It’s okay. I called her the moment they woke up. Surprise!” he said, nodding satisfactorily. Alice was standing on her tiptoes, grinning broadly.
Gunnar actually jumped in alarm to see his wife glaring at him. She planted her fists on her hips. “Groceries?” she roared. Carl’s jubilant grin faded abruptly, and he cocked his head.
Alice grasped his claw and patted it reassuringly, still craning her neck to get a better look at Gunnar. Carl looked down at her for a moment, and then he promptly picked her up and set her atop a table so she could get a better view. She grinned and gave him a peck on the cheek. Carl’s eyes widened and he froze, seeming unable to move.
But wait. If Ashley was in the Armory, then that meant…
I saw two beautiful blonde preteens shifting from foot-to-foot awkwardly, hiding behind…their mother. And I suddenly realized what Alice had been so intent upon seeing.
Calvin had pale, almost transparent, icy blue eyes, a strong jaw, and broad shoulders. He was a gangly scarecrow, but his bone structure made me wonder if he might wind up bigger than his father.
Makayla was a tall, pale-haired specter. Her prominent cheekbones and sharp jawline foretold some of the haunting beauty of the Norwegian heritage, and her eyes were a rich, vibrant blue.
My godchildren stared at their father with fear, desperately seeking his approval.
Gunnar fell to his knees and all the air left his lungs. He gripped Mjolnir as if it was the only thing rooting him to the ground.
Ashley’s ire evaporated and her composure crumpled. “Come see your children, you foolish man,” she croaked, tears spilling down her cheeks. Gunnar exploded through the Gateway from a kneeling position, sliding back onto his knees to wrap up the two beautiful children in his big beefy arms.
And then he cried.
Hard. His shoulders shook violently, and he had to have kissed their heads a hundred times each in a matter of seconds.
Although they had drastically changed their physical forms, and were noticeably self-conscious about it—as if fearing their parents love was somehow rooted in how they had once physically looked—they had known each other on a much deeper level than anything so topical.
That was the thing about wolves. Their definition for pack went far beyond looks. They could feel each other, smell each other. Their unity had nothing to do with the kids suddenly being humans—just like Freya had assured me. On the other hand, they were not seven-years-old like we had expected. Even still, the four Randulfs knew each other on the most important level, and were soon hugging each other like long-lost family rather than newly-found family. They were a dog pile of arms, limbs, and love.
Sure, it was confusing and everyone had questions and concerns, but they would face all that together as a pack—as a family.
I let out a sigh, my own eyes misting at the raw passion filling the Armory.
I glanced back to see Callie stepping through a new Gateway with Ryuu and Aphrodite. The three of them turned and smiled at me before it winked shut.
Pandora had stepped through into the Armory with Hephaestus, and was eagerly tugging him by the arm to show her daddy her first apartment. He flinched to see Carl suddenly sniffing him, but he handled it well. Especially when Alice grabbed his other hand.
I glanced at Kára, smiling. To hear such sounds in the Armory…
The sounds of family.
I’d been a bachelor for entirely too long. The chorus of family was what I really wanted.
Before she could say anything, I scooped Kára up in my arms, sweeping her off her feet.
And then I carried her across my threshold, grinning at her laughter.
I told Carl to make sure everyone had rooms inside Chateau Falco, and then I made a second Gateway to a different place entirely.
I let it wink shut before anyone could pester or follow us, and the torches in the Sanctorum flared to life. I smiled at Kára and set her down.
“This is my cave—”
She shoved me down into the concave bed of furs and pillows set below ground level, already stripping off her armor. “We’re not talking. For a while,” she said, her dual-colored eyes smoldering.
I grinned, tugging at my own clothes. It wasn’t until I’d gotten my jacket off that I realized she’d spoken in Russian.
She slipped under the covers and curled up next to me. My heart thundered in my chest, reminding me of something. I closed my eyes and touched my chest with my thumb and forefinger.
Kára gasped beside me. “What is that?”
I opened my eyes to see the glowing pearl Aphrodite had shown me. “It’s yours. I’m tired of carrying it around. You left it there a long time ago.”
She blinked at me, her pupils big and dreamy. “I…don’t understand,” she breathed.
I propped myself up on my elbow and leaned over her. “Do you trust me?” I asked, smiling.
She nodded. “Yes.”
I held the pearl over her heart and let go. It sunk into her body, disappearing from sight. She gasped, staring at me with a growing smile. “Oh, Nate,” she whispered. “It’s you,” she said, touching her chest with an awed look on her face.
I smiled. “It’s my heart’s greatest desire. You.”
She bit her lip, staring up at me…
And then we had wild crazy monkey sex.
Yeah.
It was pretty awesome.
And that was all I had to say about that. The rest of the world could just wait patiently until the wizard and the Valkyrie opted to leave their cave.
70
We sat before the fireplace in the Sanctorum—the most uncomfortable double date ever.
Death and Othello—the woman with the memory shard—sat on the
couch across from Kára and me. The two of us wore robes from the mansion. I’d made a Gateway to grab some essentials from Chateau Falco’s kitchens and my bedroom so that we could stay nested here in our secluded paradise, away from the drama of my friends and the problems of the world.
Those were for later.
This conversation was all I cared about right now.
Death studied Kára with a pleased smile before turning to me. “I will try to start at the beginning,” he said, leaning forward.
I nodded, waiting. Kára pressed up against me and pulled my hand into her lap, squeezing it tightly with both of hers. She seemed just as nervous as me.
“Recall the time we first met,” Death began. “In the bar. You were dealing with the Academy Justices, angels, and Nephilim—who had used a Blood Debt on you to strip you of your magic. Your friends had all left town and you were all alone. Until Othello came to your aid. At the time, you did not know the Academy had taken her nephew in an attempt to blackmail her to betray you and turn you over. They wanted the Armory.”
Kára trembled, her lips parting at the memory. I nodded, shuddering. “I remember.”
“You used my Mask to defeat them, managing to pull off a win by the skin of your teeth, I might add. But…Othello died. You were able to bring her back, but you did so in a sloppy manner. To be fair, you shouldn’t have been able to do it at all, even with my Mask. This was why my brothers took note and asked you to become a Horseman. This is why all of Heaven and Hell took note. You…seemed to have a natural, although unrefined, affinity. But we already had Four Horsemen.”
I nodded. “You helped me fix Othello, saying I could bring her back to life, but only if I gave up my wizard’s magic,” I whispered.
Kára rested her cheek against my shoulder. “And that sacrifice—for me—saved my soul,” she whispered. “You gave up your most cherished possession to save me,” she sobbed softly.
Death nodded. “That sacrifice was goddamned fucking powerful, Nate. Almost destroyed my Mask,” he said, shaking his head. “It set off a chain reaction of unanticipated consequences like a domino. I had to seek outside help to contain it.”
Carnage: Nate Temple Series Book 14 Page 45
