Chapter Eleven

The meal was absolutely delicious.

But it wasn't a surprise. Everything Alexion tasted was heavenly. He could easily manage to turn sugary sweet nectar and ambrosia into something spicy and sweet. The warmth of it in my mouth and in my stomach was comforting and relaxing. I could feel my anxieties being chased away.

"When did you learn to cook?" I asked, deciding to try and start conversation. Alexion paused, licking sauce off his lower lip and wiping the corner of his mouth before he sucked on it for a moment.

"A very long time ago," He said, and looked like he was satisfied with that answer until he saw me staring at him expectantly and he sighed heavily, running his finger along the rim of his wine goblet, "After Cronus gained custody of me. Rhea wasn't the cooking type. She was always busy with her friends or faeries. She didn't spend too much time with Cronus. He eventually ordered that I learn to cook meals for him and the rest of the gods. It took some trial and error and beatings before I figured out how to do it correctly." I nodded, trying not to grimace at his mention of being beaten. I already knew Cronus was cruel. I had never personally met the Titan, but I knew full well that he wasn't the friendliest of them. He had a temper as bad as Zeus's.

"I'm sorry that happened to you," I murmured, "The thing with Cronus. He isn't very... polite." Alexion snorted, picking up a pomegranate to twirl around on the table, his expression disgusted.

"He's about as polite as a rabid bear in a cage."

"Well, he's in Tartarus now."

"That's not good enough." Alexion muttered. I frowned. I didn't know what to say to that. I didn't know the depths of Cronus's cruelty and I didn't even want to imagine it. Yet, I was finding it difficult to think that Tartarus wasn't the right home for someone like Cronus. Tartarus was a blazing hot pit of hell. Surely Hades had assigned an appropriate amount of punishment to Cronus. After all, during the Titan escapade, Cronus had been too weak to even flee. He'd been found curled up in a corner with Rhea cradling him.

"What would you do to Cronus for punishment?" I asked. Alexion pinned me with a merciless stare, so icy cold that I could feel the chill of it down to my toes. As handsome as Alexion could be, he could also pull off the deadly aura quite well.

"I would rip him to tiny pieces, slowly and painfully, then set whatever's left of his corpse on fire." He deadpanned, making me grimace.

"But you would destroy the universe in doing so."

"Revenge comes at a price that I am willing to pay."

"You're willing to doom the entire universe and all existence, just to get Cronus back?"

"Zeus too." He added, as if that made anything better. I didn't say anything now, because I wasn't sure what to say. I obviously didn't understand it. Cronus must have done something worse than simply beating him, and I couldn't imagine what was worse than a beating... No, maybe I could, I just didn't want to. Why would Cronus, or Zeus for that matter, do such things to Alexion? Were they as frightened of him as everyone else because of his title as "god killer"? What did it mean to be a god killer, aside from the obvious? Maybe it went beyond simply killing other gods.

"Alexion, what do you think it means to be a god killer?" I asked. Alexion looked at me, confusion screwing up his features, but it looked oddly charming.

"What do I think it means? I'm sure it's kind of obvious." He offered, but I shook my head.

"Maybe there's more to it than just killing other gods. Maybe there's a different meaning to it. Maybe you don't just kill the gods." I explained. Alexion didn't say anything, but he was listening, so I took that as my cue to start throwing out ideas.

"The gods may have given you that title, because you have a duty that, to them, could kill them. And yes, you can kill them. You have that power, but if you decide to use it. There might be something greater hiding inside you, Alexion, something that you haven't noticed. It might have even been, ah, beaten out of you, pushed aside. When someone tells you that you are or are not something, eventually you begin to believe it. You may not be the murderer the gods think you will be. Maybe you're just there to corral them, to make sure they don't let the power get to their heads." I could see a light flicker in Alexion's eyes that warmed my heart. It was like a light of hope turning on in a dark room. Was he really listening to me and my ideas? Was someone finally listening? It made me really excited.

Until there was a loud shout and commotion going on outside. I winced and shot to my feet. Alexion cursed and got up, withdrawing to the back of the captain's quarters. I hurried out, shutting the door behind me before exiting the wheelhouse to see Theo standing at the bottom of the steps outside, glaring up at me. I frowned. I hadn't even realized we stopped in Styx. How odd.

"We need to talk." Theo announced. A few of the souls near him whimpered and scurried away to escape his loud voice intruding upon their happy daze. I wanted to tell him to get off my ship and get back to his own duties, but I had been so rude to him before.

Of course, I couldn't bring him into the captain's quarters either. Alexion was hiding there, and Theo was definitely not one to keep secrets.

"Fine," I said dryly, "But not here. You're disturbing the souls." Theo seemed to accept that and vanished off the ship, appearing on the docks. I teleported after him, appearing in front of him and expecting him to get violent, but he looked more restless than anything. I studied him, watching him shift a bit and waiting for him to talk. When we'd been standing there for about two minutes without a word, I was starting to get a bit restless myself.

"Theo," I started in irritation, "If you called me here simply to interrupt my work..."

"No," Theo snapped and when I glared at him, he looked away awkwardly, "I'm trying to find the words to say something, but I can't... I dunno." I frowned curiously now. It was quite uncharacteristic of Theo to behave this way. I would have asked if he was being possessed again, but judging from the way his red eyes snapped around and his lip curled every so often at the sludge of the slums, I knew very well this was the obnoxious baby brother I'd always known.

"Then find me at a time when I'm not busy." I told Theo flatly, turning to leave, but Theo caught me by the back of my cloak, sending a sharp anger through my veins and I prepared to blast him back until he spoke.

"I'm sorry!" Theo snapped. I went still, staring at him, then raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" I asked, not sure if I had heard him correctly. Theo released my cloak and went back to shifting uncomfortably, avoiding my eyes and trying to look angry, which wasn't too hard because I think he was so embarrassed that he was angry.

"You heard me." He muttered.

"I don't think I did."

"Ugh," Theo whined impatiently, stomping his foot, "I said I was sorry! There! Fine. Now that you've made me look like an ass, will you come back?" I looked at him, perplexed. I wasn't sure what surprised me more. The fact that Theo was apologizing, the fact that he needed me to come back enough to do so, or that he thought apologizing made him appear pathetic. I was rendered speechless either way. Theo looked flustered now.

"I'm only doing it so you'll quit being mad at everyone and come back! It's not like... Well. I mean... It's not that I'm not sorry either. Or anything. Will you just say something?!" He demanded angrily, cheeks flushing. I blinked, looking around for a moment to see if anyone else had witnesses this once in a life time spectacle, but it would seem I was the only one paying attention. I turned back to Theo, lifting a brow.

"Are you possessed?"

"I'm not!"

"Are you sick?"

"No!"

"So this is real?"

"Don't be such a drama queen," Theo protested angrily, "I'm trying to apologize here!"

"Yes, well, if you paid attention to yourself, maybe you'd realize that you apologizing is like Zeus choosing to become celibate." I pointed out. Theo scowled, but he didn't deny or agree to the claim. He was just all huffy and embarrassed. It was actually rather amusing, but I knew the longer I stood here teasing him and enjoying the sight of him squirming, he'd probably take it all back and try to set my ship on fire.

"All right," I said at last, making Theo relax a smidge, "Fine. But no more jokes about what happened at that club." Theo pouted. I gave him a warning glare and he whined.

"Oh, fine. Fun sucker." With that, Theo vanished. I shook my head and reappeared on the ship, sending a blast of power through it so we could move from this port to the next. I went into the captain's quarters to see Alexion sitting on one of the leather seats along the windows, peering out before he looked up, raising an eyebrow.

"What did your snot-nosed brother want?" He asked. I smiled lightly at that, coming over to sit in front of him.

"He... actually apologized to me." I admitted. Alexion stared at me.

"Theo apologized?" He asked to make certain. I nodded. Alexion whistled in awe, sitting back in his seat and glancing out the window, something interesting flickering through his eyes. I couldn't be sure what it was, and he didn't speak any further, so I'm sure whatever it was, he wanted to keep it to himself, no matter how outrageously curious I was.

The rest of the ride was still quite pleasant, despite my odd run in with Theo. We finished the meal Alexion had prepared before we moved onto casual conversation. It was never something I was quite good at, speaking to other people, and yet, I found myself so at ease with Alexion, so natural.

Of course, we didn't discuss anything too in-depth. I didn't press into Alexion's past, because it was very obvious he wanted to leave it behind him. Well, save for the whole getting revenge and destroying the world part. Aside from such topics, talking to Aleixon was incredibly relaxing. I loved hearing his deep powerful voice, listening to him rant about anything that came to mind, or watching his expression soften when he described his favorite parts of history. He was a whole book of history, especially when it came to literature and art.

We stopped by the Fields of Asphodel and Elysium, thankfully not running into Cain or Abel during the ride as well as passing through Tartarus, a time when I had to hide Alexion very carefully in the captain's quarters before we left there and returned home on the river Acheron.

"Wow," Alexion said as we walked along the beach to my home, "I never imagined your ride to be so peaceful before."

"It's normally boring," I admitted with a shrug, walking up the steps, "But this was probably the first time in a thousand years that I actually enjoyed it." Alexion cocked his head at me, but I lowered my eyes as I opened the door.

"Well," Alexion said, making me turn to look at him as he stayed on the porch, making my heart sink in realization, "I probably need to get back to the apartment. Unless there was something else you wanted me to do?" I tried to think of something, anything, that would keep Alexion here for just a bit longer, but to no avail. I just stared at him and he seemed to understand, giving a nod. I started to retreat into the house when Alexion stepped forward, making me look up at him curiously.

He was incredibly close, I realized. I blinked as Alexion looked down at me intensely. His eyes felt like they were scorching me, his tongue sliding over his bottom lip quickly. I held my breath, clenching my hand on the door.

"Alexion?" I asked carefully, unsure of why he'd suddenly gotten so close. He hesitated, studying my face before he cleared his throat, looking a little embarrassed, stepping back and rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sorry," He said under his breath, making me cock my head and frown, "I was just... Uh, I think I'll head out now. I'll be back tomorrow." With that, he vanished, leaving me to stand there in confusion. He'd seemed oddly flustered. Alexion rarely acted that way. Was it something I had said, or hadn't said that he was expecting? I wasn't sure. He looked embarrassed. I wasn't quite sure why, either.

I shrugged it off and went inside, heading to the desk in my room to catch up on the paperwork I'd been neglecting all this time. But even as I sat there, mechanically filling out papers and filing them into their rightful places, I couldn't help, but wonder what Alexion had wanted to tell me.

Or if he wanted to tell me anything at all, but that's usually why people got that close, right? They wanted to speak about something private? But there was no one else around. Why would he need to get closer to speak to me? I didn't understand it and now it was bothering me.

Maybe he wanted to kiss you.

I almost laughed at myself for the preposterous thought. I wasn't even sure why it crossed my mind. Maybe because the only other time someone had gotten that close to me was Akin, and he had kissed me right afterwards, but Alexion was nothing like that. Alexion hated to be touched. Even hugging him had been a very stupid thing to do, and I still felt guilty over it. I didn't want him to force himself to touch me if he didn't want me to. And kissing? That was a whole level of touching I'm positive Alexion would avoid at all costs. Especially me.

Alexion was... Well, it was difficult to find words for his complexity. He was beautiful and handsome and strong. He could go from polite and caring to vengeful and angry in a matter of seconds. To the point where one would wonder if he was bipolar. But it was that complexity, and admittedly those rock hard abs, that made me love him.

I stopped writing to stare down at my papers.

Love? Was that what this could be? The feelings I had for Alexion definitely reached past friendship. I'd been friends with Kyros, but he was more fatherly to me. Blaine was also my friend, but I had never imagined kissing him or touching him inappropriately. It wasn't that he wasn't beautiful, because he was, and I found myself envying Blaine sometimes. But he was still just a friend.

And while Alexion and I agreed to be friends, I felt more than friendship towards him. I had just imagined kissing him. A shiver coursed through me at that. I wondered what he would feel like. What kinds of things did lovers do, aside from the obvious? How did it even work? I understood the general aspect of sex, yes, but I didn't understand the emotion that went along with it, or if there was anything else that accompanied the act.

I wondered what it felt like to feel his bare muscles against my palms. I'd already seen his torso. Bulging with raw power that made me bite my lip. I was curious as to what he could do during sex. Would he make it hurt, like Akin seemed to enjoy? Or did Alexion do things more gently?

What did it matter, I realized sharply. Alexion would probably cut his own throat before touching anyone, especially me. His no touching rule was firmly in place, a wall that stood between us, and I didn't care what he said, I knew it made him uncomfortable and that was the last thing I wanted to do.

That and telling him how I really felt. He didn't feel the same way, and if I said something, it could ruin what we had and I rather just be friends than never speaking again.

With that in mind, I began to finish the rest of my work. It was exhausting. I had almost forgotten what it was like to just sit and work for so long and so hard.

I finally gave up after a few hours and went to the kitchen to heat up some of the leftovers Alexion had left behind. The rat was in the kitchen when I get there, nibbling on bits of cheese that he'd probably gotten out of the fridge when I left it open to get the leftovers out. I let the food heat before taking it to Kyros's room. Or would I call it Alexion's room since he was the last to occupy it? I wasn't sure. I felt like calling it spare bedroom would make me feel even lonelier.

I sat on the bed in front of the television, playing some black and white movie about aliens. I didn't really pay attention to it as I spooned noodles and broth into my mouth, savoring the soft blend of herbs and spices. Once dinner was finished, I put the dishes in the sink, feeling too lazy and tired to clean them. I showered and changed into an oversized shirt before climbing into the bed in Kyros/Alexion's room.

Part of me was afraid to go to sleep, but even if I was, my eyelids still felt as heavy as steel and my body incredibly weak. It felt so nice to sink into the softness of the bed.

Without even knowing it, I had fallen asleep to the static sound of silence, the faint scratching of the rat eating crackers nearby.

My dream was different this time. I expected violence, reliving Kyros's death, or that creepy decayed mouth on my ear again, but no. I wasn't sure what it was at first. I was laying down on the black sandy beach of Acheron alone and one second later, Alexion was leaning over top of me, a very light smile on his face. I tried to speak, but my voice didn't come out. I looked up at Alexion again, but he didn't seem to notice. He leaned down and I held my breath as his lips brushed mine, feathery and soft.

It was a dream, I reminded myself as he kissed me. Maybe it was okay here. I closed my eyes and let Alexion take control of the kiss. Just the way I imagined it earlier, his kisses were very sweet and romantic. They stole my breath away and made my heart swell. I felt like there was a bright light inside me, warm and brilliant. Alexion's hand lifted from the sand and brushed the side of my face, callused and rough, but soothing nonetheless.

No one had touched me like that before. Granted, Akin had done more than just kiss me, but his technique had been rough and hungry. Alexion was very tender and careful, like he was afraid of hurting me and it made me happy that he was so concerned for me.

Alexion finally pulled away so I could suck in a deep breath of oxygen. He was still smiling, his lips moving, but I had no idea what he was saying. I cocked my head at that and tried to ask what he was saying, but no sound came out. Why was there no sound? I wanted to hear his voice, I thought achingly. I wanted to hear him. What was he saying to me? It was a short sentence, but I couldn't read lips enough to know.

I tried to speak again, but Alexion placed a finger on my lips and said the same sentence over again before he leaned down and kissed me on the lips again. A thrill went through me at that, so this time, I eagerly kissed him back, trying to do it the way he did. It made him smile and I almost sighed in relief. I was finally doing something right, even if just in a dream.

He pulled back again and said something else, lips moving soundlessly. Whatever he was saying was much longer than the last sentence. And the more he spoke, the more his expression became pained. I ached to hear what he was saying, to know why he was in so much pain. I could only look at him quizzically and sympathetically, hoping he understood. He seemed to because he kissed me again.

Then I blinked.

And the scene changed.

I wasn't on the beach with Alexion anymore. I was somewhere dark and cold and damp. I could hear voices, but they were muffled, even to me. There was an emptiness inside me that ached. I couldn't describe it more than that, just that I wished it would go away. I wanted the warm, full feeling of having Alexion with me again. I didn't like this hollow void inside my chest. I reached my hands out and found a cold, stone wall. I frowned at it curiously.

Something about it felt oddly familiar, but I couldn't pinpoint the source.

And then a sudden shock of power pulsed through the air so much that it scared me and I cried out, this time able to hear myself. I looked around through the darkness, feeling and grasping out for whatever could be in this dark abyss with me. The power continued to piece the air. I could feel it bouncing around, enraged at being encased in such a small space. I reached out to the left and my hand smashed into something warm and very living.

I gasped in shock and recoiled instantly from whatever it was.

A sudden bright light snapped on from behind me and I hissed at it, shielding my eyes and turning around to see what had been trapped in the room with me, but the light flashed and I woke up with a sharp gasp, eyes flying open to stare up at the ceiling of my house.

I grimaced, blinking rapidly as I reached up a shaky hand to wipe the sweaty hair back from my face. I swallowed hard at the lump in my throat. I turned my head to see the rat sleeping on the nightstand in an empty box of crackers. I frowned curiously at that before I turned my head back to stare up at the ceiling.

What kind of dream was that?

It felt so different from my other dreams, or rather, nightmares. I could actually touch people in these dreams... And it had started out so nicely too, frustrating maybe due to the lack of sound, but nice nonetheless. Then suddenly it became dark and terrifying. I was tempted to try and go back to sleep, but I'd never had much luck continuing dreams like that, so I decided to drag myself out of bed. I went to the living room, shivering at the warmth of the stove. It was hard getting used to it always being warm in here, enough so that I didn't need to wear pants around the house.

Although, that's probably something I shouldn't do considering the amount of people who enjoy randomly popping into my house.

I shook my head at that before warming up some leftovers again and putting the kettle on to make some tea. I had just finished brewing the tea and was about to make my way to the living room to have my breakfast when a fissure of power shot through the house and I winced, recognizing it instantly. I took a step back, but there really wasn't time to even poof my clothes on because Hades appeared in the middle of my house.

Tall and muscular, a god built for war and intimidation, with long inky black hair that flowed over broad shoulders hidden by his formfitting steel black armor, Hades was a force to be reckoned with. His icy blue eyes did a quick sweep of the house before stopping on me, his brow furrowing.

"When did you learn how to use the stove?" He demanded. No hello or how're you. Just how did I learn how to use the stove.

"When I realized I was starving to death." I deadpanned. Hades snorted, waving at me in dismissal before he scannede the house again. I frowned. I didn't like the way he was doing that, and the expression on his face was suspicious. Did he know about Alexion? But how? Abel wouldn't have told him. Abel was good at keeping secrets, so long as no one made him angry, and even then, he didn't like Hades enough to do such a thing.

"You can't starve to death," Hades drawled, making me frown deeper, "You'd just become the skeleton the humans represent you as." I didn't know what to say to that, so I said nothing. I remained silent, watching, alert, as Hades searched my home with his ever watchful blue eyes. We were both silent for what felt like an eternity before he finally spoke.

"So, you've seem to have fallen behind on your work."

"I was distracted."

"Yes," Hades agreed, making me stiffen, "Your brothers told me about your little explosion on them during your last meeting. Too bad I was absent. I would've wanted a front row seat for that one." A sliver of irritation shot through me as I narrowed my eyes at him, clenching my fist on the handle of my tea cup.

"If you only came here to mock me, please leave. I have work to attend to." I muttered. Hades smirked at that, surprising considering my rudeness. I was expecting him to backhand me like he would Theo, but instead, he wore that smirk. The one that made my stomach sink.

"Well, I have some news. You can call off the hunt for Alexion." He stated. My eyes widened.

"What?" I managed. Hades nodded, blissfully unaware of my horror, or maybe just ignoring it.

"I captured him last night when I returned from Olympus. Alexion's where he belongs-- Rotting in my dungeons."