So here we are, bowing down to Zeus, doing his stupid “Outreach to the Mortals bit”; like we are apart of some bad reality show. I mean, why should I have to listen to him, why should any of us? It’s not like he was one of the primeval deities or anything. Who was — oh, right me. Erebus. Born from the deep void of Chaos, the primordial of shadows and darkness…
So many questions ran through my head. The number one being, how did Melisseus always know when my guard was down? Was there a mole within Olympus? Perhaps one of the many Titans that no longer resided in Tartarus? Every god in Olympus was a gossip.
I unfolded a slip of paper and read the note that had been delivered to the house in the middle of the night. It had been signed with a monogram I had come to know as Melisseus’s signature. He was taunting me, trying to lure me out. Not this time. I had learned over the years that demons had many faces. Mine was Melisseus.
Having another male god in the house made me territorial. Not to mention he was a titan. There are only a few titans I trusted. The fact I hadn’t made my mind up yet about Pro put me on edge, especially since he was with Atë.
Now, as I walked through the heavy wood doors, I took a deep breath, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. The mortals got one thing right. It is Home Sweet Home.
I raise a brow at her. “Come again, Miss Shrink Lady? It sounds like you just asked for my help in locking Atë up? I guess you didn’t find in your research, that while I may have helped contain Atë, as you say, I took no pleasure in that. In fact, it tore me apart.”
It took me the better part of the morning, but I found her. It looked as though she had been on a shopping spree. She was carrying half a dozen bags. Retail therapy, really? Murder spree, epic fight, sex, and shopping. I shrugged to myself. Yeah, that sounded about right. I didn’t want to interrupt what seemed to be a carefree morning for her. Now that she was out, I had all the time in the world to figure out what she was up to.
Her voice echoed through the expanse. “Oh, I remember everything. That’s what Tartarus does. It was a thousand years for me. A thousand years of nightmares. Of torture. Of Darkness. Reliving my mistakes over and over again until I begged for an end.”
Sitting back on my heels, I looked at her, taking every inch of her all in. My breath caught in my throat. “It would have at least been nice to be given a choice. But you took that away from me.” As angry as I was, I knew she was right. My eyes softened.
“Atë?” My eyes cut through the darkness as the raven hopped forward on its two legs. Its black eyes stare back at me. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but there was something familiar about the bird. A cold shiver ran down my back as a dark mist covered the room, and just like that, the bird was gone.
I shouldn’t have kissed Amy. It was less than eight hours since our date, and I already couldn’t make good on my promise to leave the past in the past. Not when Atë haunted my dreams, not when I knew she was in hell. I should be there for her. I should have ignored her when she pushed me away.
When the music dropped, the crowd in front screamed for more. I looked backstage to see Amy beaming at me. She may be a cheap knock off, but she looked so happy. I owed it to her. I owed it to Atë. I owed it to myself to make the past the past.
Medusa’s words repeated over in my head mockingly. She had to be joking. Other goddesses interested in me? It didn’t matter, none of it did. There was only one I wanted, and she had made it perfectly clear she was not interested.
The second town car was supposed to enter, but instead, a flashy red sports car pulled up. I was surprised at who was behind the wheel. Medusa stepped out in her gorgon form, snakes writhing around her head. This could be interesting.
My chest tightened at the very thought of her. My hands immediately loosened their grip on the winged creature. This thing in front of me missed her too. “Yeah, sorry little guy. I can’t help you. She’s gone.”
I’m a fool for thinking I can come here and what—admit my feelings to her? I must be crazy.
