by Haley Weir
Seth stood up and approached the door. He slid the lock free and peered through a narrow crack. Diana stood before him with a shy grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I heard I gave you a bad scare. Thought I’d come over and check on you while I was in the neighborhood. If you—”
“What the hell were you thinking?” he asked, no longer having the patience to even be angry at the people in his life.
“I was thinking that we needed answers. I was tired of waiting for Giddeon to make time in his schedule to help us. And I’m glad I did what I had to do.” Diana reached out to comfort him, but Seth stepped out of her reach. “I’m sorry, Seth.”
“You were dead. I saw it with my own eyes...I felt how cold you were, and there was no pulse. How do I know this isn’t just another trick?”
She lifted her hand again, but this time she showed him an onyx ring on her finger. “The victims in your case were doppelgangers. My doppelgangers. Apparently, I’m the daughter of Nemesis and Hades. I have the ability to tear my soul into pieces and sort of...clone myself. I was doing it without even knowing I could. The demon was here covering up my tracks. Hades—my father—wanted it to warn me of my powers.”
“You’re...a goddess?”
“I’m not sure how the hierarchy of deities works, but I suppose I must be.”
“Your father is the God of The Underworld and your mother is the Goddess of Retribution, Diana. If they wanted to hide you from the other gods, then there’s a reason.”
“I’ve been thinking about that,” she said quietly. “Now that I know who I am, I can start helping more. Hades says I have to learn how to control my powers, and I’ll need help with that. If...if you’re willing to give me a second chance?”
“I don’t know how much help I’ll be, but I’ll try.”
“Promise?”
Seth nodded and opened his door. His house was small, but comfortable. Rustic wood tones flowed through the entirety of the home. Beams lined the ceiling of the hallway and eased into the vaulted ceilings of the den. Large windows were shuttered with reclaimed wood from an older house that used to sit on his property, as was the table in the dining room. Seth was proud of his house, for he had built it with his own two hands. For some reason, he cared more about Diana’s opinion than he expected.
“Wow...it’s beautiful.”
“Thank you,” he replied almost bashfully. “Have a seat.” Seth sat down on the sofa and Diana sat beside him. He looked down at the ring on her finger and felt a swell of relief that he hadn’t failed her after all.
“I’m going to tell Giddeon that the movie should be about the dating agency instead of the shifters. Things are way too complicated as it is, and romance films are doing really well right now,” she said absentmindedly. “It’ll bring enough revenue to please the studios and provide a hefty amount of royalties for a while.”
“Then what?”
“Then I’m going to give up writing. I’ll focus on mastering my powers somewhere I don’t run the risk of exposure or hurting anyone. When I feel comfortable, I’ll come back.”
“Maybe it’s best if you get as far away from my family as possible,” Seth supposed. “There’s still so much we have to fix after everything that’s happened. I fell into Caleb’s bad habit of expecting Giddeon to handle everything, and that was selfish of me. So, do what you have to do and I’ll be here for you when you get back.”
Diana smiled sadly. “Besides, you can go on your dates and break a few hearts.”
“I’m not interested in breaking hearts.”
“A true romantic, huh?”
Seth nodded and wrapped his arm around Diana. “Call me old fashioned, but I don’t think life is worth living if there isn’t someone to share it with.”
“I feel the same way.” Diana wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tight. It felt natural to be in her arms. Seth hoped his mate was like Diana. Being with her was just...easy. She was his best friend even though they hadn’t known one another properly for more than a few months. He cherished her company and looked forward to hearing her laugh each day. Whether it was on the phone or in person, Diana never failed to make him smile when they talked.
When he found her after the ritual, Seth was certain his heart had died with her. It had hurt far worse than facing the daily torture he had suffered at the hands of the Reckoning. A life without Diana was not a life at all; it was merely existing. The revolver on the dining table and his impromptu game of roulette was proof of that. “I’ll miss you when you’re gone. You’ve become a good friend, Diana.”
The steady rhythm of her heartbeat filled him with peace. He glanced down and saw that her eyes were closed in blissful slumber. Seth kissed her forehead and laid his head against the back of the couch. He kept his arms around her as if he was afraid she would disappear.
Chapter Eight
Six days later…
Orlando, Florida
Diana laid out on her beach lounger smelling of coconut tanning lotion and rum. Olivia's red curls were like a beacon that attracted crowds of men. Diana smiled as her friend basked in all of the attention. She sipped her cocktail and looked at the pleasant glow she had started to get after living in Alaska for a while. Diana was eager to head out to the country to practice her powers, but she promised Olivia a day at the beach. "Giddeon is fine with the script rewrite being about the agency just to get our foot in the door, but he still wants the original script to be pitched to studios."
"I'm not interested in talking business right now," Olivia protested. "Let me know when you go on one of the dates Giddeon wants to set you up on while we're here."
"It's pointless. We're only going to be in Florida for a week."
"Come on, Diana," her friend snickered. "Have a little bit of fun. Stop thinking about Seth Black all the time."
"I-I'm not thinking about Seth."
"Sure. Then why do your creep astral projection soul-thingies keep popping up when you dream about him?"
"I'm new to all of this. It'll get better. I just have to—”
"Stop thinking about Seth."
Diana sighed and turned her gaze towards the ocean. "I suppose so. Has he contacted you? He hasn't been responding to my texts lately."
"I talk to him sometimes, but work is really busy for him now that he's being reviewed by the board," Olivia explained. "Besides, it's been a week since we left Destiny Falls. Give him some time, Diana. He'll come around."
"I guess I just hoped we were better friends than this."
"You and Seth are NOT friends. Seriously? You and I are friends, and I don't look at you like I want to lick chocolate off your body. It would be illegal to have friends if they looked at each other the way you two look at one another."
"What about you? Seeing anyone new lately?"
"A few."
"A few?"
"Yeah, why settle for one when I'm not tied down to anyone?" Olivia countered. "My casual friends with benefits aren't anywhere near as complicated as what you've got going on with Seth."
"I have nothing going on with Seth! Despite what you and Hades say, we're just friends." Diana heard her phone chime and checked the message. "Giddeon found me a local guy. We've got a seventy percent compatibility rating."
"Sounds boring."
"Sounds nice." Diana stood up and wrapped her towel around her waist before she headed over to the bar. The server pointed to the man at the end of the bar. "Your drink was already paid for."
"Oh?"
The mysterious stranger bought her several drinks throughout the day and even slipped her his phone number before the night was over. Diana and Olivia packed up their rental and headed back to the hotel with a bit of a buzz. Olivia stripped naked and sauntered into the hot tub. The room across from theirs was filled with college kids on spring break who cheered her on. Diana was envious of Olivia's bravery. Not many people were as open about their natural sexuality the way Olivia was.
"I have to get ready for my da
te," she shouted to Olivia as her friend put on a show for the neighbors. Diana changed into a summer dress with bright flowers that brought the olive hues of her complexion. She walked down to the hotel lounge and sat near the back corner as she observed the room. No one seemed particularly hostile except for the woman whose husband kept staring down the front of Diana's dress.
An hour ticked by and there was no sign of her date. Diana began to lose hope just before he came into the lounge and took a seat across from her. He tucked a strand of sandy blond hair behind his ears. "You must be Diana."
"And you are...a doctor?"
"I was working a double shift when I saw our compatibility score. It was too good to pass up. Now that I see how beautiful you are, I'm glad I agreed."
Diana wasn't sure if that was flattering or slightly shallow, but she folded her legs beneath the table and greeted her date with a smile. "I'm glad you could make it. The view of the beach is so beautiful that I lost track of time."
"My name is Devon Hastings. I'm a doctor in the intensive care unit."
"Impressive," she replied. "I'm Diana Kelly. I was an investigative journalist before I started screenwriting."
"Oh, I've heard of you! Wow, I never thought I'd actually meet you in person. Have you written anything new lately?"
"I don't really like to talk about work when I'm out meeting new people. It makes the rest of the night feel like a conference call." Diana was grateful whenever she was recognized, but there were times when she just wanted to be herself without worrying about whether she'd find an article about herself on the internet the following morning.
"I totally understand. As a doctor, I get a lot of people wanting free health advice when I just want to be a normal person."
Diana smiled genuinely and she was happy someone understood her opinion on the matter. She lifted her cocktail and toasted to compartmentalizing and keeping personal and professional lives separate.
~*~
Castle Black
Destiny, Alaska
The table collapsed under Madeu's weight as Seth slammed the other male down. They tumble to the floor only to leap to their feet instantly. Seth didn't care that Madeu's powers were bound or that the collar around his neck kept him from fighting at full strength. His anger had boiled over the second he laid eyes on Madeu, and he wasn't looking for a fair fight. Giddeon backed him up into a wall, but Seth sidestepped his brother and landed a bone-crushing punch against Madeu's jaw. Blood sprayed across the floor in a scarlet arc.
"Stop! Seth!"
Balor cut off his path of destruction and blasted him with a burst of magic. Seth hit the wall and felt his hip pop when he slid to the floor. Madeu wiped blood from his lips and stood up with his arms wide, offering himself as a punching bag. "Let him do what he thinks is right. In my eyes, it will just prove what I already know to be true...all of you are just like Samael deep down inside. No use in hiding it behind a façade of civility and family values."
"I am nothing like him!" Seth shook off Balor's spell and limped over to the other alpha. "His actions don't justify what you had your men do to me."
"In my eyes, it's perfectly just," Madeu sneered. "You forget that I was there when all of you were the great conquerors of the North. Changing your names, but always fighting beneath the banner of Thanatos. You killed innocent people and harvested souls for the God of Death."
"Thanatos is the God of Peaceful Death. He wouldn't have sent us after the innocent."
"Those titles were given to them by humans," Madeu said flippantly. "The truth is far less black and white. All of them are playing a game with our lives."
"So, you had me tortured for information because of something that happened hundreds of years ago?"
"Perhaps your memory has failed you, Seth, but it wasn't me who captured you. When they brought you to the facility, I was told you were murderous. I trusted the word of my men to be true." Madeu paced the small area in front of Seth. "That was why I had you put in a cell. Octavius told me that you and the others intended to use Atë's key against the gods."
"We would never disrupt the balance and endanger humans. Our family has protected—”
"No one!" Madeu shouted. Thunder clapped outside like a bad omen. He pointed to a painting on the wall where large bears ravaged a battlefield, their claws dripping with the blood of their enemies. "You are only the heroes of your own stories. Think of all of the death that you have caused. Did you think protecting Destiny Falls and one bear sleuth was enough to even the score?"
Seth lowered his head in shame. "Times were different then. The gods ruled with an iron fist. If we had known the truth, we would have fought against them."
"If I had known the truth, I would have taken you out of that cell. But neither of us can go back in time. We must live with our guilt," Madeu said wearily. He tossed the talisman onto the desk and stormed out of the room. Seth had come to the palace on Giddeon's request to decode the flash drive embedded in the necklace. He never intended to fight Madeu or anyone else...at least not yet. Even so, he couldn’t deny that the other alpha’s words resonated in his soul. Seth had wanted to banish the memories of the past, to rid himself of the horror that had been his life as a warrior. He never once questioned Thanatos, and now he realized the blood that was on his hands.
Seth limped over to the chair and sat down with a painful groan. “Do you believe him?”
Giddeon left his place beside the fire and came to stand beside Balor. “I do. We only just uncovered the truth of the gods’ meddling. For all we know, they’ve been using us as pawns to cover their own asses since the very beginning.”
“What does Plutus say?”
Caleb finally joined the discussion as he bounced his daughter in his lap. “He says we should allow the gods to tear each other apart. They’ve been weakened through the ages since the rise of new religions, and without warriors like us fighting for them, it’s only a matter of time.”
“How many casualties will there be?”
“The damage will be catastrophic. Humans will no doubt call it the End of Days.” Giddeon picked up the talisman. “Octavius is running out of options. We have his plans, we have the key, and we have Madeu. He’ll get desperate and side with whatever deity offers him the best deal.”
“Like an army and a crown?”
“Precisely. An army of abominations.”
“How do we stop him?” Seth asked.
The answer came from the doorway. “We kill him.”
Seth turned his head and looked at Rina. She had become quite the fighter since her bond with Caleb. “And how do you suppose we do that? I’ve fought him, and so have you. We barely made it out alive, Rina. His shift burns out quickly, but when he’s in his true form...he’s virtually unstoppable. Not to mention, he has a group of gun-toting followers that will shoot us on sight if we step foot on the island.”
“Then we have to keep him from shifting.”
Giddeon and Balor looked as though they were considering her words. Seth threw his arms up into the air and walked over to the window. He opened the curtains and gestured to the courtyard. “Look out there! Those are our people, and they are dying. We will not survive a second attack on Kodiak Island, not after we nearly lost all of our best fighters capturing Madeu.”
“He’s right,” Caleb said. “Octavius will wipe us all out if given the chance.”
Seth’s phone rang, and he kicked over the potted plant beside the window. “I have to go. Call me if you figure anything out. And for the love of all that is holy, keep Madeu away from me.” He left in a flash and headed to town for his date. Seth prayed this one was better than the last two. Corrianne had been nice enough, but she liked to argue about every little thing, and Seth was beyond exhausted. Between work and dealing with his family, he was more than ready to throw in the towel on the whole dating thing.
Chapter Nine
Washington, Virginia
The ceiling fan wobbled above her head as she laid acro
ss the couch on her belly. Diana kicked her feet with the phone pressed to her ear and a smile plastered on her face. Seth called the moment her plane landed in Virginia and they had been talking for hours. He told her about the dreadful fight between him and Madeu, his poor luck with the agency, and a new recipe he couldn’t wait to try out when she got back to Alaska. “How’s the training going?” he asked around a mouthful of popcorn as he indulged in a horror film. “Are you making any progress?”
She looked up at the doppelganger that stood near the couch and rolled her eyes. “I suppose. Controlling the doppelgangers isn’t difficult anymore, but I keep setting things on fire, and spider lilies keep popping up wherever I walk. I haven’t been able to go in public since it started happening.”
“And the fighting?”
“I don’t want to fight unless I have to,” she grumbled.
“You might have to, Diana. You’re the daughter of—”
“I know, I know. Life was so much easier when I thought my dad was a deadbeat musician. Hades is trying all of these really awkward bonding tactics when I visit the underworld...it’s super cringy to see the God of The Dead trying to DIY a battle ax or sip wine while painting a mural.”
Seth’s laughter rang through the phone and Diana smiled so hard that her cheeks began to hurt. “You should ask your father for help. I’m sure he would much rather train you on how to use your abilities than paint a Bob Ross with you.”
“I’ll ask him when I go back tomorrow. I like Cerberus. He’s like a puppy.”
“A giant puppy with three heads that breathes fire, opens gateways to the underworld, and guards the souls that your father collects,” Seth muttered sarcastically.
