Chapter Fourteen

I teleported back home the second I had helped Sept clean things up in the palace, and dropped by Akin's place to explain to Hannibal what happened after I sent him home.

I came home to the warm smell of Thai food and the sound of someone playing my Avenged Sevenfold CDs in the stereo system connected to the television. I cocked my head at that. I didn't think that was Dorean's type of music. It seemed too loud for his sensitive ears. I wandered into the kitchen where Dorean was standing over the island counter, wearing one of my t-shirts and his boxers, while drizzling some kind of sauce on the fried noodles and veggies he'd whipped up. He sensed my presence and his whole face lit up as he set the bottle down.

"Xenon, you're home! Look, I made food! Oh," He pulled up short, face scrunching up in concern as he came around the island, "You have blood on your shirt." I stiffened and looked down. Sure enough, the blood from where Theo had been stabbed was splattered across the front of my shirt.

"You didn't hurt no one, did you?" Dorean asked, eyeing me suspiciously. I frowned.

"More like protected someone. I guess." That made him smile. His tail did that excited twirl it did whenever he was pleased with something, wings fluttering before settling down again. I changed my shirt with my powers to a plain black v-neck and Dorean brighened even more. He touched my chest, like he couldn't resist before he pulled me over to the island counter, pushing a plate of warm steaming food toward me. My stomach growled intensely and I wet my lips before taking a bite.

And it tasted like heaven.

"You're really good at cooking." I commented past a mouthful of food. Dorean beamed.

"Thank you! I was reading them books on it and it was real specific, so I just followed what it told me to do. I like cookbooks! They so helpful."

"Indeed, they are."

"Can you cook?"

"Not really," I admitted with a shrug, twirling the noodles around my fork, "I never really had to. I didn't eat much before you showed up." Dorean wrinkled his nose at that and cocked his head.

"Then we make new rule," He stated, making me arch a brow at him, "Every day we eat together. No matter what."

"Breakfast, lunch, and dinner?"

"Yes. And we learn to cook together, yes? It'll be fun," He added, the excitement showing in the way his tail twirled and coiled around the bar stool, "We can learn new things and you can teach me big words in the cookbook! Cuz, I'm not sure what alfredo... fet... fet-something is. But we can learn that together! We can make for dinner." I smiled at that. He seemed so excited about the smallest things. It would take some getting used to to have someone so cheery around me. I was used to being alone, unless you count occasional hallucinations while I was heavily intoxicated. But even those were mere haunting memories. I wouldn't have to sleep alone and wake up in the middle of the night in cold sweat.

Dorean would be there for me.

Is this how Callias felt about Dextius?

A sliver of pain coursed through me at that. I had known Callias favored the Atlantean prince, but I had never thought they were lovers, and so serious about it too. To make Dextius an immortal consort for himself... Callias was taking a huge risk. Atlanteans were far more strict about that than the Greeks. The Greeks happily gave up Ganymede to Zeus and none of the other gods made protest. Unless you count Hera, but she protested everything her husband did.

But Atlanteans... While it was a great honor to be favored by a god, to be favored so much as to become an immortal consort? It was a risk. Callias had put Dextius in jeopardy the moment he laid eyes on him. Other gods, our siblings, had seen it instantly and taking advantage of it. Callias should have known that would happen.

Still. I felt an odd sort of sympathy for my brother. Callias had always been a bit quiet and reserved. He did his work and accepted his offerings in silence. He never asked for anything and he usually stayed in his temple alone, but on occasion, he'd wander out to see the rest of the island.

He'd finally found something he'd wanted. A pretty blonde prince.

And no sooner had he laid hands on the prince did our siblings come to crash the party, like they always did. I had no doubt that it was probably done at the suggestion of our youngest siblings, the twins Drulius and Drak. They loved tormenting Callias the most.

And while I pitied Callias for his loss, I still couldn't bring myself to forgive him and part of me was a litle angry at myself for it, but I couldn't help it. Callias had taken everything from me, and he'd taken the lives of thousands of innocent people.

But I suppose I would do if someone dared to lay a finger on Dorean.

I tuned back into reality to hear Dorean enthusiastically telling me that he enjoyed one of my favorite television series, Ghost Hunters. I wasn't even sure why I liked the show. It was probably the side conflicts between the teammates that entertained me and their persistence at searching for entities that were taunting them.

Contrary to popular beliefs, ghosts very rarely attacked out of rage and anguish. They did it because what was funnier than watching someone freak out because they found something amazing, when it was just a natural part of life? Ghosts liked playing games with humans, to interact. By natural, humans were social creatures, even when dead, they loved getting attention and loved giving it. Sure, there was an occasional ghost that was in deep profound agony, but they didn't leave. Something tethered them to the mortal plane. What? It varied from ghost to ghost.

A cold tingle shot up my spine and I cursed, cutting Dorean off and making him look at me sternly.

"What I say about not swearing?" He asked dryly. I smiled apologetically, trying to ignore the insistent tingle, but it was starting to make my bones ache and muscles tremble.

"Sorry, Dorean," I said gently, rising to my feet, "Work calls again." Dorean's face fell.

"But we was talking."

"I know, and I'm really sorry, but... Well, like Callias's curse, I can't ignore it."

"You're cursed?"

"Yes," I admitted, "But it's a curse I chose."

"Why?" Dorean asked, tilting his head curiously. I hesitated for a moment. I didn't particularly want to discuss it because it brought back some eerie memories, but the dewy eyed stare from Dorean pushed me over the edge and I caved in, reluctanly sitting back down and ignoring the cold tingle that warned me not to take my time.

"Callias and I are the last remaining Atlanteans, setting aside Hannibal, who's a half-blood. Generally, the Source tries to suck back everything to make sure it's balanced, but this time, it didn't. Callias and I were gods without a pantheon. In order for Callias to destroy Atlantis, he had to make a deal. In exchange for his soul damned to slavery, he could see the island sunk and the pantheon destroyed, except for two people. Himself and one person he wanted to save."

"You."

"Yes. But what he didn't realize is that I was also damned. After I left Callias in Greece, I didn't know what to do with myself. So I decided to curse myself."

"Why?"

"Well, I was... I lost everything. I felt miserable, but I couldn't die. Or rather, wouldn't. Even now, I'm not sure what kept me alive. I just felt like I needed to do something with myself, so I cursed myself to helping others. Using a special coin, people could summon me and I could help them achieve a goal. But they had to pay me with something of equal or greater value. Nothing is free in life."

"But it felt good helping people, right?"

"At first," I replied with a shrug, then frowned as I fingered the end of the plate, the cold tingle still racing up and down my spine like an icy bullet, "But eventually people began to realize that they could ask me for other things. Instead of asking me to save their dying child or helping them harvest their crops, they began to ask me to kill people or make them rich. Business kind of turned bleak from there, but because of the curse, I had no choice, but to go along with things."

"But you put the curse, yes? You can take away?"

"Maybe. I never tried. And honestly? I don't want to."

"Why not?"

"I need this," I said uncomfortably, unsure of why I was confessing this much depth to him, "It just feels like something I need to do. I could probably undo the curse and do it of free will, but I don't want my will to affect that of others. Besides, if one of my clients makes a bad deal, I want them to learn from it. They need to learn that life isn't always fair and trying to cut a deal with an immortal won't help either, and might just make it worse. They need to accept what the Fates have written out for them. Maybe it's just a job of contradictions and danger, but it's my job and it's what I'm good at. If I didn't have it, what would I do with myself? I have to leave sometime." Dorean gazed at me for the longest time and I wondered momentarily if what I said even made sense, because now that I said it out loud, it sounded a bit silly and pathetic.

But then Dorean smiled.

"You're a very good person, Xenon. I don't want to keep you from your work. I wait here." He added, settling in his seat. I felt a little pang of guilt. I didn't want to keep him here alone. What if he got bored? I didn't want him to suffer the same loneliness I had to suffer either. I reached out and touched his forehead, sending power rushing through his veins and he shivered.

"What was that?" He asked, dazed and confused. I smiled lightly.

"You can come and go as you like, Dorean. You're not my slave and you're not my prisoner. You're... special. I just want you to be careful and always come home before sunset. It's too dangerous to be out after dark." I explained. Dorean's face brightened and he came off his seat to put his arms around me, jumping up and kissing me happily on the cheek.

"Thank you, thank you! I go buy us more food and we make more! And beach stuff! I saw a commercial with beach stuff and it looks fun! And plants. We need more plants. I do that too."

"Sounds good, Dorean," I said with a nod, then withdrew two cards from my pocket, handing them to him, "You have access to all my funds. Buy whatever it is you want. The other card is so that no one bothers you." I didn't go into detail about that one. He seemd to already know. It was a card that ensured he was owned and not running around on his own. The bounty hunters would snatch him up and sell him off in a second, and I really didn't feel like slitting throats today. So hopefully the card was enough to protect him. If not, and I didn't mention this to him, my powers would pick up on his heartbeat and if he ended up in trouble, it would signal me and I would come immediately to his side to protect him.

With a last goodbye, I kissed Dorean on the forehead and he kissed me a little too passionately on the mouth, making it ten times harder to leave him before I finally vanished at the calling cold tingle in my spine.

I teleported in a column of black smoke before reappearing at the sound of angry voices. I appeared in a tall black and green corridor, instantly alerting me to the fact that it had been Hades, once again, calling me. Sure enough, when I turned, Demeter, Hades, and Cerberus's right-hand man, Leon, were standing outside an open room. Even from here, I could smell blood. I frowned.

"What's going on?" I asked. Hades gave me a dirty look.

"Where the hell were you? I've been summoning you for almost half an hour."

"I have this thing called a life now and I kind of want to get back to it."

"Nobody cares about your life," Demeter said bitterly, "What about the infant?"

"What about it? I don't hear screaming, so I'm assuming one of you drugged Blaine up." I responded flatly. Hades glared.

"He's fighting the anesthetics. Persephone's already taking the infant out." He responded. I still didn't quite understand why they even bothered to summon me, but we all went silent at the sound of a screaming baby. Hades went right into the room not a moment later and the rest of us followed, save for Leon, who stood near the opening of the door as if to keep out predators-- or keep in prisoners. The thought made my stomach clench.

In the room, Blaine was laying on a bed heavily decorated with blue and gold sheets, one hiding him from the top of his abdomen to his ankles. Cerberus was standing beside the bed, but he looked anything, but happy. His expression was grim, red eyes like blood drops watching Blaine slumber. Blaine breathed in anesthetic through an oxygen mask, but he looked incredibly pale, save for the dark circles under his eyes. He looked oddly smaller.

Persephone was holding the wailing infant, who looked exactly how I had seen him in my visions. He was cleaned up now and swathed in black and blue blankets. He had a dust of fine black hairs on his head, little blue eyes squeezed tight as he made grasping motions for a parent he would never see or feel again. I already knew Hades would never let Blaine near the baby.

It was mostly the reason they drugged him. That and the fact that they were cutting him open, but Blaine had been awake for worse pains than a C-section. Hades just wanted him drugged so he could cradle his baby without Blaine getting in the way.

Persephone was staring at the infant, like she wasn't sure what to do with it. Demeter gushed and fawned over the baby, trying to calm it, but still he wept and grabbed at the air. He didn't want Persephone, or Demeter.

He wanted Blaine.

"Let me see him." Hades demanded impatiently. Demeter scowled at him.

"Don't touch him with your corpse tainted hands."

"Oh, please, Demeter, as if you're any cleaner than I am. Besides, he's my child too." Hades added, voice strained with impatience. I'd say he was seconds away from gutting his own sister. Persephone hesitated another moment before carefully holding Ambrosius out to Hades, who looked both excited and scared to death. It was odd to see the big tough god of the underworld trembling a little. He took Ambrosius into his arms and let out a breath of awe.

"He's so tiny." He said, looking confused.

"He's an infant. He'll grow in time, though," Demeter assured, "Hermes grew quite quickly. He was a teenager in a matter of months. Ambrosius should do well. Take as many pictures as you can too. I want baby pictures and I want them before he turns two in a couple months."

"You'll get your pictures." Persephone assured when Hades didn't respond. Hades was too engrossed at the child in his arms. Ambrosius had ceased his sobbing to open big blue eyes that matched Hades exactly. An eerie ghostly blue that seemed to glow. Ambrosius seemed to recognize him and reached out for him. Hades glanced at Persephone, who smiled reassuringly and urged him to take his son's hand. Hades held a finger toward the child and Ambrosius took it, giving it a little shake. Hades held his breath.

For a moment, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one who thought this, Hades looked as if he was going to cry with joy. His blue eyes glittered and his teeth sank into his tongue. Ambrosius gave his finger another shake, then brought it close to his little lips. It was almost like a silent kiss, and it reminded me of what Dorean did.

The kiss to the fingertip meant happiness.

"He's perfect." Hades said at last. Persephone smiled, but there was something sad behind it that I couldn't pinpoint. Demeter didn't seem to care and just beamed from ear-to-ear with the pride of a grandmother. Leon was stoic and Cerberus was glaring at Hades, like he wanted to tear him apart, until Blaine shifted on the bed and Persephone winced, moving to his side as the sheet slid away from him to reveal the pink scar from the C-section, one that was already healing, but would forever remain as a scar to remind Blaine of what he'd done, and what had happened in his past.

"Hades, you should leave," Persephone said, making Hades frown and Ambrosius whimpered, like he could sense Hades's displeasure, "Blaine is going to a little upset when he wakes up and the last thing he needs to see is..." Her voice trailed. Demeter was also frowning now, like she didn't understand why anyone would give two shits about what Blaine thought. It was irritating, and even more so that I was summoned here and no one was trying to make a deal. But I couldn't really bring myself to make a big deal about it now.

Blaine shifted again on the bed and his face twisted up, like he was struggling hard to wake up. He made a whimper sound in his throat and Cerberus's expression became pained. He stroked the dark hair back from Blaine's face and Blaine made another pathetic attempt at speaking, only for it to come out choked and strangled. Persephone gave Hades another warning look and Hades looked back down at Ambrosius, who whimpered in confusion.

Without another word, Hades carried Ambrosius out of the room and made a gesture for me to follow him. I gave Blaine one last look as he struggled to come out of his anesthesia before following Hades out of the room as Leon shut the door behind us.

"What do you want from me now? You have what you want." I added, frowning at Ambrosius, who yawned sleepily and snuggled down in the blankets. Hades stared at the infant in his arms a moment longer before looking at me.

"I should probably be killing you right now for what you said to me at the shower," He deadpanned, making me roll my eyes, "You've never had children, so what do you know about raising them?"

"Not a damn thing. But I think that's what would make me a good parent. It's the parents who try too hard and ruin their kid's life who suck."

"I would rather try than not do anything."

"I'm not saying to not do anything. I'm saying to be honest. Doesn't matter if your kid is a god, a mortal, a giraffe, whatever. He's still a kid. Treat him like a kid. Give him a childhood. Buy him toys and play with him and hold him when he cries. Don't treat him like a soldier."

"And how do you expect him to defend himself?"

"He's your son. I'm expecting witty remarks and bitchslaps." I responded. Hades snorted, but he seemed amused by my comment as he looked back down at Ambrosius, who slept in his arms now. He stroked Ambrosius's cheek and the infant whined softly, but didn't wake.

"Ambrosius will be great."

"Hades--"

"He will," Hades said, his voice warning me to speak again, so I remained silent as he continued, "He'll put the other gods to shame. He'll be nothing like Zeus's Heracles or any other of my brothers' bastards. Ambrosius is a full-blooded god of the Greek pantheon. You said he'll walk a dangerous path, which is expected for any god, but I won't let him end up like the others. I want him to be safe and I want him to be powerful... I want him to become the king of gods."

"Hades, that's not a good idea. If Zeus finds out you're trying to dethrone him with your child, he'll kill him."

"I know that. Which is why I need you to protect him."

"I'm sorry, come again?"

"You heard me, Atlantean," Hades snapped, coming to a stop as I turned to glare at him, "That's my deal. Take what you wish from me, but you will come to Ambrosius's aid if he calls for you."

"I'm no one's personal bitch, Hades. And I'm almost positive that nothing you have will pay the price for that kind of service."

"I don't give a shit. Let's say I'll owe you a favor," Hades pressed angrily, "You can collect it whenever you want. Just make sure no harm comes to him from any other gods. If they try to attack him, I need you there to protect him." A flicker of rage started up inside me and it took everything I had not to blast the walls open, or even scream. I didn't want to wake Ambrosius, who was just an innocent child wrapped up in his father's stupid ambitions.

"You were planning this from the beginning," I said past clenched teeth, making Hades narrow his eyes, "You were planning all along to try and cut this deal with me. Trying to use me as your infant's shield. I am not a soldier, Hades. I'm a god. And you're pissing me off."

"If you don't help me, I'll kill your imp."

"You wouldn't dare."

"No? I have someone tailing him right now," Hades informed, making me stiffen, "That's right. I can't tell you who or what or where. If you don't accept this deal, I'll have someone slit his throat. All I have to do is send the message and he'll be dead before you can get to him." I felt anger bubbling up further inside me. My blood turned to hot lava in my veins and the heat of it went out like a sonic boom. The walls cracked and the ceiling shuddered. Hades didn't react. Just stood there and watched me, daring me to attack him, but I couldn't do shit with him threatening Dorean and holding Ambrosius.

"You're a bastard." I seethed. Hades didn't even bat a lash.

"I'm doing what's best for my child."

"No, you're not. You're not doing this for Ambrosius. You're doing this for you. So you can brag to all the other gods about how cool you are that your son is the king of gods. But it won't happen. When Zeus finds out you're breeding someone to dethrone him, he'll flip his shit and call out a hit on your son. Ambrosius will be targeted not just by Zeus, but anyone who defends him. That includes all the Olympians and whoever else is in his secret arsenal. You're not saving Ambrosius. You're signing his death warrant."

"He won't die. Not with you protecting him."

"Zeus will plow right over me to get to him."

"If that happens, I'll kill your imp. That way, you can both suffer in eternal damnation together. Because both of you will go to Tartarus for failing to protect my son."

The ceiling crackled and the walls trembled, bits flaking off and shattering on the floor. It was only when Ambrosius woke to scream and cry that I sucked all my power back inside me and I held my breath as Hades cradled and shushed his son, who whimpered and reached for him. I clenched my teeth as Hades glanced at me.

"Deal?" He asked.

I'll kill you, I wanted to say. Rip your throat open and bathe in your blood. I'll trap your soul and destroy it. I don't give a fucking shit that you're connected to the Source. I'll bash your skull in and feed on your entrails.

"Deal."

You psychotic son of a fucking whore.