Hades looked uncomfortable. There was barely enough room for him. Having his head touching the top and his legs tucked in, he looked annoyed. The doors slammed shut, and Mason pressed the gas pedal so fast, I swore it felt like we were going to teleport in the car.
“Hang on,” Mason said. “This is how we get around in the twenty first century.”
Fire and ashes painted the town with red and black, and smoke filled the air like fog, making it difficult to see. The cries for help echoing throughout the town made it difficult to locate where they were coming from.
After Mason parked the car, we called Everett on the phone, but there was no answer. Our goal was to get to Kelly’s diner and rescue my family first. They were probably already there, fighting the vultures.
“Stay behind me,” Mason directed, as we snuck across the street. “We’ll go in from the back.
Seeing the window shattered and fire blasting out of Kelly’s diner was not a good sign. Entering from the back, I waved the smoke out of the way. Being quiet was impossible with the smoke causing everyone to cough. Then I had an idea.
Wiggling my fingers, I used my power. Droplets of water trickled down like light rain, cooling the air and clearing up the smoke without producing too much sound.
“Good idea,” Mason whispered with a wink.
“It’s too quiet,” Zara said, breaking my trance from Mason’s smile.
“What’s that awful smell?” Hades sniffed, halting behind me.
“Either you’re smelling yourself,” Nick started to say, “Or it’s the vultures you created.” Nick’s angry pitch went up a notch through his gritted teeth.
Hades growled and fire glowed out of his eyes. He was about to take a swing at Nick when we heard a scream. I dashed through the door without thinking about the consequences and stopped after we passed the kitchen. My Aunt Kelly was holding a knife. Mona and Jack were standing next to her, each of them holding one too. Vultures surrounded them, and some were eating in the far corner.
“Skylar.” My aunt looked so happy to see me, then her smiled faded. “What are you doing here? Get out!”
I didn’t know what to do or say. I took a moment to gather my thoughts and my strategies, but hearing the vultures’ growls snapped me out of being frozen in place. A group of them were coming for us, snarling and hissing. I didn’t want my aunt to see what I could do, so I stayed behind Mason.
“What the hell are they?” My aunt cried hysterically.
“It’s okay, Auntie Kelly. My friends are here. They’re going to help.”
Hades stepped in front. “Medusa and I made one hell of a mess. And they’re hideous. Must be from Medusa’s genes. They certainly aren’t from mine.”
Hades powers were useless, so he used his physical strength. With both hands, he bashed their heads against each other to knock them out.
Nick got behind Auntie Kelly and gave her enough voltage to knock her out. Then he carried her away to the side for safety. When he tried to do that to Mona, she caught his arm. Holy cow! That was when I knew Mona was not fully human.
“Watch it, hot stuff. You’re not putting me to sleep unless you’re coming with me to bed.” She swung her knife like a badass woman just in time for the vulture that was about to jump on her. She penetrated the knife through its chest.
Nick was utterly in shock and didn’t see the vulture behind him.
“Get down!” Jack commanded to Nick, and cut across the vulture’s neck with one swipe.
Mason whipped out his bolts. Crack! Crack! He created sizzling whips and sliced the vultures’ bodies in half. Ashes floated around like black snow. It was a beautiful sight in contrast to the reason it was happening.
Standing at the end of the diner, Tara used her hand like a magic wand and crashed the vulture’s bodies against the wall when they approached her. Then I stepped in and sealed the deal with lots of my voltage and fire.
The fire had spread, and the heat and smoke were becoming unbearable. I called on Poseidon’s power and put out the flames with the help of Noah and Tim. By that time, all the vultures had been killed.
“Hades?” Mona looked shocked. “How did you get out?”
Hades eyes grew wide. “Cleo. Eros. How did you…you got new bodies? How?”
Cleo? Eros? I was completely speechless, as were Mason and Nick. Their eyes were just as wide as mine. They had eaten at the diner often. Mona had even lusted after them. Who knew?
“Hi, Skylar.” Mona shrugged her shoulders. “I’m Cleo, Athena’s minion, and Jack is Eros, Aphrodite’s minion, or nymphs…whatever you want to call us. When we found out what Hephaestus was up to, we were too late. We found everyone in iron casts, so in order to survive the destruction of gods and minions too, we jumped into the closest bodies. Unfortunately, this is it. Our bodies were destroyed the day all the gods were supposed to die. We call it Blood Moon Day. The prophecy foretold by the Oracles stated that it would happen as such: a series of four, consecutive, total lunar eclipses, with six full moons in between. That was the sign of the end of time.”
“If you think about it, what Hephaestus did was a blessing in disguise,” Eros explained. “If the gods were not in iron casts, they would have died on Blood Moon day; but instead, they were kept safe. It’s ironic. Hephaestus actually saved them.”
It was true, but what Hephaestus did was wrong.
“I’m going to kill him. He sent Skylar to kill me.” Hades’s hands puffed out smoke instead of fire. Feeling embarrassed, he dropped them to his side.
Mona and Jack gasped in accord. It was going to take some getting used to, calling them Eros and Cloe, and it was going to take longer to see them as minions, instead of humans.
“I knew you were special the day we met you. I hoped you would be the ‘keeper of life,’ Mona said, giving me a warm smile. She looked so proud.
“No, I told you she was special,” Jack spat at Mona. “You didn’t believe me.”
“No, I told you,” Mona retorted with her fist tight to his chin.
“No…I did.”
We all listened to them argue, our heads moving back and forth like we were watching a tennis match. It was no wonder they fought so much. According to Greek mythology, Aphrodite and Athena didn’t get along. I guessed it was the same with their minions.
“Silence!” Hades pulled them up by their shirts as effortlessly as if he was lifting feathers, then let go. “Where’s Hephaestus? Do you know where he is?”
Mona and Jack shook their heads vehemently. I was just about to ask Mason if Everett texted him back, but Mason answered my question before I could ask. Looking down to his phone he answered. “They’re about a block from here. They were helping put out a fire in a building. Many people were trapped inside, but they’re safe. They’re now on their way here.”
“Before we do anything, I need to take my aunt somewhere safe.” I bent down to make sure she was comfortable. “We also need to take Kayla to safety. Maybe Eros and Cloe can join them at New Olympus. Noah and Tim will have to escort them.”
“New Olympus?” Eros exclaimed. “I’ve heard about it, but I didn’t know it really existed.”
“That’s where they’ve been hiding and training,” Tara explained.
“It’s real and it’s magical,” I stated.
“Then, let’s get out of here,” Eros said with elation.
I looked up to see everyone’s eyes on me, except for Nick’s. He was already gone. I guessed that answered what would have been my next question…who was picking up Kayla?
While Nick went to get Kayla, we stayed behind to help the ones in need. Many vultures had died, but many also escaped. One thing for sure, this was Hephaestus’s madness, and more towns would be affected. We also stopped by a small abandoned clothing store and made Hades change into jeans and a white T-shirt, He ran the gold sash through the belt loops, so that at least he could keep the same color scheme of the gods. Before we headed to Olympus, we took a detour to the lake house. Zar
a was standing on the porch.
“Hades.” Her words came out in a whisper, but it was magical how it vibrated through my ears. I couldn’t tell if she was in awe or afraid from seeing him, but the way her words shot through me, I would bet on being afraid. When Hades approached her, she bowed and looked up.
“Zara. It’s been a very long time.”
“I’m glad you are well and you have found your peace. I see that you have changed your clothing to blend in with the humans. Clever idea. You look dashingly handsome.”
I had never seen Hades grin that wide. He loved Zara’s compliment. “Thank you. I will have peace after my brothers have been released.”
“How’s my dad?” I intervened when there was nothing but awkward silence.
“He’s much better. He’s waiting for you inside.”
“Thank you.” I opened the door to enter, but just before I did, Zara asked me a question.
“Where are Noah and Tim?”
“We’ve separated. They went back to New Olympus.” Not wanting to go into full detail, I figured I would share later. Satisfied with my answer, Zara turned away from me.
“Dad,” I called softly. Seeing him sitting on the sofa gave me great joy. “How are you feeling?” I wanted to jump in his arms, but I didn’t. It wasn’t the appropriate time.
“Much better. My body needed the shock to wear off from being molded into, and then released from the iron cast. It’s a lot for an old body to take. You brought a friend?”
“Dad. This is Hades.”
Dad’s eyes grew wide. He was speechless and possibly star struck, just like we all were. “Hades?” he repeated under his breath. “I didn’t know you were bringing him here. It’s a pleasure to meet you…I think.”
I had to laugh at Dad’s response. I guessed if I didn’t know better, and judging by his reputation, I would have been confused as to whether I should be happy to see Hades.
Hades nodded with a quick grin and tilted his head to the sound coming from the television. Staring at it, he slowly walked toward it and examined it. He extended his arm to touch it, but backed away instead with a jerk.
“The people are so little. How do they fit inside the box?” Hades got down on his knees to study the television. “Zeus, Poseidon, and I used to use small figurines at our meeting table when we discussed certain gods, but this is…fascinating.”
Hades finally found his courage to rub his hands on the screen. “Incredible.”
Before he could make a fool out of himself, and before one of us laughed any louder, I explained what the television was.
“See. I can use this remote and change the channels,” I demonstrated.
“These humans…they’ve learned magic. How?” Hades continued to stare at the screen.
“No, humans don’t have magic.” It took every ounce of my will to stop from busting up. Amanda released a funny sound, so she had to turn away. “Many things have changed since you’ve been…gone.” Trying to be sensitive to this topic and finding the right words were difficult.
“I see.” Hades stood up and glanced around. “And the furniture is very simple and distasteful.” He cringed his nose in a pompous way.
“Like I said…things have changed.”
Hades was used to the glamour of antique looking furniture, embellished with gold and precious stones. I could see why he would say that, but at the same time, I wouldn’t want my furniture to be what he preferred. I directed my attention to Dad.
“I don’t know where Hephaestus is hiding Mom.”
Dad was just about to say something when Mason brought up an idea. “There is one place we should try.”
“Where?”
“Your home.”
“What about my brothers?” Hades asked, staring at Everett, who was making a call to Nick. “Why does he talk to that…that thing? Who is he talking too? Does it speak back to you?”
I didn’t have time for this. “I’ll explain in the car.” I smiled at my dad, whose eyes were sparkling with amusement while watching Hades’s curiosity in the material objects of our world. “I’ll be back.”
Dad tossed his blanket to the side and stood up. “I’m coming with you.”
“Dad!” I placed my hand out to stop him. “You can’t. You’re not well. You’ll delay me. I’ll worry about you.” I didn’t mean to belittle him, but it was the truth.
Dad stuck out his hand to balance himself, preventing him from falling. Realizing he couldn’t take another step without feeling lightheaded, he nodded in response and crashed down on the sofa.
“Go get your mother,” he said, letting out a heavy sigh.
“What about my brothers?” Hades asked again, stopping me from walking any further toward the door.
“First, we find my mom,” I heaved.
The look on Hades’s face told me my tone had shut him up.
The night sky was a black canvas, painted with pure evil and darkness. Usually, the stars or some parts of the universe graced us with beauty and sparkle, but not tonight. It didn’t help that I was in the worst mood, and it definitely didn’t help that I had no idea where my mom was or what kind of state she was in. And the fact that these vultures could be in my house just pissed me off.
The drive to my house wasn’t too bad, but it felt like eternity when my heart could not find a steady beat. It was pumping on overload with anxiety and anticipation. I started to relax when Mason held my hand in his, while he kept the other one on the steering wheel. Though his eyes were locked straight ahead, he didn’t need to look at me or say a word, because he knew how I was feeling. That was the way Mason was. And I loved how attentive he was.
“Did Nick get back to you?” I asked aloud, to anyone that would answer.
“Kayla is fine,” Everett said. He was seated behind Mason, so I had to twist my body to see him. “Nick took her to New Olympus. I’m not sure how he’s going to tell her about who we are.”
“My aunt is going to flip out, too,” I added.
“Are we almost there?” Hades hissed. “I’ve been locked up for centuries. I don’t need to be held prisoner in this…thing.”
“It’s called a car.” Amanda rolled her eyes. “I wish you had your powers back so you could kick Hephaestus’s ass. Anyway…I’m so tired and hungry.”
“Speaking of food, I am hungry. I order you to feed me.”
I snickered at Hades’s demand and I could see Mason’s lips twitch from the corner of my eye. Had I not known of his temperament I would have been offended, but as always, Amanda spoke her mind.
“Order me?” She laughed out loud, like it was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard. Holding up her fingers one by one, she said, “First of all, we are not your slaves. Second, do you see any food here? Third, we are in a war. We eat when we can. Got it?”
I couldn’t believe the way Amanda spoke to Hades, but it seemed to have worked. Since Hades was sitting behind me, I couldn’t see his face, but I got a glimpse from the side view mirror. Shrugging his shoulders sheepishly, he looked out the window.
I wasn’t sure if driving through the dead silent street was a good or bad sign. All the streetlights were off, and not even a hint of light glowed from the nearby houses. When Mason parked the car on the curb, none of us attempted to get out. We were glancing around, perhaps hoping to see signs of human life or some activities in the houses, but there was nothing.
“Doesn’t look like anyone is around,’ Amanda whispered. “Maybe we should go back to the lake house.”
“We should check it out.” Mason opened his door. “You can stay here, Amanda. It’s up to you.”
Hades was the next one out. “I’m not afraid of my nephew. He deserves what’s coming to him.”
“Shhh,” Mason scolded, when Hades slammed the door shut. Everyone else had shut their doors as quietly as possible, but he had announced our arrival when the sound vibrated in the air.
“The thing made the noise, not me,” Hades retorted. Then he kick
ed the door in frustration.
“Oh my God! He made a dent.” Amanda pointed.
Mason got to the other side of the car in world record speed for a descendant and slapped his hand down his face. “Just don’t touch my car,” he gritted through his teeth, looking irate. “In fact, just don’t touch anything and follow behind me.”
Hades pouted and raised his nose in the air. “I will not be insulted like that by a demigod. Apologize.” Then he turned to Amanda. “It’s not ‘Oh my God.’ It’s ‘Oh my Hades.’”
“I’ll apologize for two things. One…sorry about my tone. Two….” Mason zapped Hades with his volts. “I’m sorry you had to get under my skin so I had to do that. And for the record, we might be just demigods, but we’ve survived all these years without the gods…and despite what you left to destroy us.” With that Mason held my hand and led the way.
Looking over my shoulder, I saw that it looked like Hades had gotten the message. He was rubbing the area where Mason had shocked him on his arm, and started following us.
It suddenly dawned on me that I hadn’t brought my house keys with me. In fact, I had nothing with me. There were times I had to remind myself that I was a descendant of gods and anything was possible. Mason touched where the key should have been inserted and sent a bolt of lightning. The door creaked open.
Mason turned to me as we entered. “It was already unlocked.”
Cautiously we moved through the darkness with Mason’s light. He lit up his hand like a flashlight, just enough for us to get around. We searched every room and I could tell they had been there, but we were too late.
My mom’s room was a mess. There were clothes on the floor, picture frames shattered, and a couple of suitcases open on her bed. The vultures, with clumsy hands, must have packed for her. Hephaestus was cold-hearted, but a part of him loved my mom. Perhaps he allowed her to wash up, change, and let her get a few things she needed.