by Jaymin Eve
“The thing? What thing?” My hair might have black in it now but I was still a blonde at heart.
“The fates gave you a death prophecy…”
Oh, right. That thing.
“Yeah, so that happened,” I told Cronus.
I froze, and it wasn’t because I’d suddenly gone into shock or anything. Nope. Cronus used his magic to wrap around me. Then he dragged me, slowly, inch by inch, toward him. All I could see was his thunderous face. I couldn’t turn to look away. Not that I would have even if I could move.
“Maisey Hope Parker,” he growled. “What the fuck, woman? You should have told me earlier.”
I glared back, because one could not talk when one was fucking frozen.
Dude, what I wouldn’t give to flip this big bastard off right now.
“What did they say?” Cronus asked Hyperion, not taking his eyes off me and not freeing me from his energy.
It was stirring up the sins though. I felt the darkness swirling inside of me, creeping along my skin again. If Cronus didn’t let me go soon, he was probably going to have more than one issue on hand.
“They said that Maisey’s line ends tomorrow and that you need to be with her. That you’re the only one that can save her and your paths are interwoven.” Hyperion spoke quickly and succinctly—his eyes scanning the darkness threading my skin and hair again.
“Let her go, Cronus,” he finished, concern filling his voice. “You’re stirring the sins.”
I choked on a breath as he released me, lurching forward, off balance. Cronus caught me, holding me for a few seconds longer than what would be considered polite.
“Maisey doesn’t leave my side,” he said shortly when he set me on my feet again. “Not for anything. Let’s go now to Thanatos. We have a bastard god to convince that he should bend the rules just this once.”
Before anyone could reply, he blinked us out of that shattered room and into the underworld, leaving me wondering, again, just how much my Titan cared for me.
Chapter 6
We ended up in what could only be described as a waiting room. There were a ton of souls sitting blank-faced. The walls were stone and a drab gray. The floor the same, not a single creature comfort to be seen.
“Kinda reminds me of a creepy doctor's office,” I whispered, looking around. None of the translucent beings turned to us though, remaining in their chairs. The medical center vibe grew stronger as we moved toward the front—where they all faced—and I saw the notice board.
Names were listed in long rows, and next to them was a wait time.
Mary Joe … 3 mins
Simon Lewis the Third … 4 mins
Regina Halt … 5 mins
It went on and on, endless names until it disappeared off the screen.
“This place is way different from where you’ve taken me before,” I whispered to the asshole who I was trying really hard to be mad at. What we had was complicated, and it would take a damn good apology before I forgave him.
“This is where the new souls are sorted and assessed,” Cronus told me, and he didn’t bother to keep his voice low, because he clearly knew that none of them could hear us. “The veil to the dead is thinnest here.”
“Thanatos does the sorting?”
Cronus nodded, and the board above suddenly shuddered and flickered, the names shifting. At the top there was a new entry.
Maisey Parker, Cronus pain in the ass, Hyperion old but wise, and Okeanos, fucking playboy of the Ocean … 1 min.
I snorted. “Guess he knows we’re here.”
Cronus grunted. “Not much gets past the god of death.”
We had reached a back door with a thin plaque that read, “DO NOT ENTER.” Cronus grabbed the knob and swung the door wide.
Guess he wasn’t much for following the rules. We all shuffled inside a huge office with rows and rows of books. It was actually more like a library with a desk dead center. The only odd thing was to the right there was a blank wall that was thin, like a white sheet, and blurry figures moved behind it.
My body froze. Was that … the dead?
“Can’t you all read? The board said one minute,” Thanatos muttered, and my gaze flicked to the huge oak desk he sat behind. A beautiful brunette was perched on his lap.
Cronus eyed the female. “Is this the one I got elixir for?”
She waved at us all. “Hey.”
Thanatos smacked her butt playfully. “Why don’t you grab us some lunch and I’ll ditch them soon and come meet you.”
She nodded, leaning in to give him a kiss.
Once she left, Thanatos jumped up. “Okeanos! You just left. Miss me already?” He gave a bro hug to the gorgeous Titan before stopping at Cronus. “You never come for any good reason. Why are you all here?”
I’d been preparing a speech in my head. It was direct but sweet.
Cronus growled, “I need to see Selene. Won’t take no for an answer. You fucking owe me.”
Well … there goes that idea.
“Please,” I added.
#WhoTaughtYouMannersBoy #OhYeahTheUniverse
Thanatos growled. “You know the rules, man. I can’t let the living beyond that veil without dire consequences.”
Cronus pointed to me. “Look at her hair. The sins are killing her! She can’t possibly take any more. Only Selene will know what to do! We tried all the boxes available. This might be our last chance.”
Thanatos eyed him for a few extra moments, before sighing. “You just have to apologize.”
Cronus growled again. “You think I haven’t fucking done that? He won’t listen and he’s secluded in his fortress. No one can get to him.”
I blinked, having no idea what the fuck they were talking about. The conversation jumped super fast.
Was this about a possible container for the sins?
“So, Maisey,” Thanatos said, distracting me, “black hair isn’t really your color. We need to address this…”
He wasn’t really kidding about that. I’d tried to dye my hair once and it disappeared the next day, which was a blessing in disguise. The stark color had made me look like I was dead.
“It’s almost gone now,” I said with a shrug. Only a little remained on my fingertips, and while the hair was still rockin’ heavy goth streaks, it was not as dark.
I undid my top knot and let it flow about my shoulders, getting a worried look from the god of death.
Stepping forward, Thanatos tried to put a hand on Cronus’ shoulder, but the huge Titan shrugged him off. “If I allow you back there, it could threaten Selene’s ability to exist beyond the veil. Her essence could disappear forever.”
Cronus slammed a fist down on the desk, cracking it. “I don’t care! I helped you save the love of your life. Now you help me save mine!”
My body froze while my heart was hammering so hard. Every single gaze in the room landed on me. Did he just say … love of his life?
#SinceFuckingWhen #RememberThatTimeYouAbandonedMe #CauseIFuckingDo
I was about to give Cronus a piece of my mind and possibly smack him upside his beautiful fucking head when Thanatos approached me. He looked me up and down.
“You know, her energy looks half dead anyway. I could probably send her in.”
#ExcuseMe #HalfDeadEnergy #BlackHairAlwaysDoesThis
“No,” Cronus snapped at the same time that Hyperion and I both said, “Okay.”
The veil started to shimmer, turning clear, and my heart picked up speed.
“Maisey…” Cronus warned. He didn’t get to leave me alone crying on the floor of a dressing room in Vegas and then call me the love of his life and make all the rules.
#Nope #FuckOff #AllTheSingleLadies
I pushed the epic rant I wanted to throw at the Titan to the back of my mind and walked toward the shimmering sheet. “Only stay a few minutes,” Thanatos warned. “No longer. If you start feeling sleepy, run out.”
“I forbid this. Send me instead.” Cronus moved forward but Hyperion and Oke
anos intercepted him, whispering something I couldn’t hear. They struggled to hold the Titan back, but even between the two of them he was dragging them across the room.
He wasn’t going to make it in time though—I was already at the veil. Everything around me became muffled and unimportant. Cronus was shouting behind me but I could barely hear it; a beautiful melody had started and was luring me closer. I walked forward, unafraid, as the veil thinned to allow me entrance, and when I appeared on the other side, I gasped at the beautiful sight before me. It was an oasis, more stunning than any sight I’d ever experienced on Earth. The flowers glowed with an intensity that could not be replicated in the human world. The faint sound of a waterfall trickled in the distance; scents and colors were richer than usual. Most of all, a complete and total feeling of peace washed over me. The Sins had gone radio silent inside of me, the weight and drama that I carried since I’d opened that damn box just melting away.
Looking up, I saw two figures walking my way. They were blurs at first, not because they were too far away but because their forms hadn’t fully materialized. When their bodies finally came into focus and I saw the two women holding hands, tears sprang from my eyes.
“Mom?” I ran to the most beautiful brunette I’d ever seen. I’d lost her at age seven. I’d never in a million years expected to see her here. She was holding the hand of another white-blond haired woman. Selene.
My mom let go of Selene’s hand and ran to meet me. I crashed into her, grateful that whatever magic was in this place allowed her body to feel solid so I could hug her. Her perfume, the way her hair tickled my nose, it brought everything back to me and I forced a sob down.
“Mom, I missed you so much!” I held her tighter, never wanting to let go.
She pulled back and smoothed my hair. “I missed you too, Bug.”
I smiled at the nickname, instantly brought back to my childhood. I wasn’t surprised my father wasn’t here with her. We weren’t very close; he changed after her death. It was perfect that it was just Mom.
She played with the black strands of my hair and frowned. “Looks like you’re in a bit of a mess.”
I nodded and my mom’s body flickered from solid to semi-transparent. “Mom?”
She smoothed my hair again and pulled me in for a hug. “I can’t stay, Bug. But I love you.”
“I love you too,” I croaked out as her body became translucent and my arms fell away. “I’m always watching over you!” she shouted as her form started to float backward toward the waterfall I’d heard earlier.
“Bye, Mom!” I cried, tears freely flowing down my cheeks. It had been such a gift to see her, even if only for a moment. But my heart ached for more time.
I noticed Selene now, patiently watching me. “Did you bring her here?” I asked, aware that Selene had no problem keeping her form solid.
She was a god after all, albeit a dead one.
Selene nodded, walking closer to me. “Yes. My gift to you.”
“Thank you,” I said.
For the first time since stepping inside, voices could be heard behind me, back beyond the veil. Was that Cronus bellowing my name?
“Could I get one of those hugs?” Selene asked, opening her arms, distracting me from the pissed-off Titan who was probably going to crash the veil between the living and dead.
Selene remained as she was, arms out, no urgency in her stance. I hesitated for a beat, before deciding what the hell. These were modern times. Why couldn’t I have two moms? Clearly they both cared about me and were working together. Falling against Selene, I let her hug me tightly, returning it like I had with my mom.
When I pulled back, she lifted my fingers and inspected the black tips. “When the Titans fell and Cronus was imprisoned, I knew that Earth needed a backup plan, should that box ever open again.”
I scratched my face, trying to hide my shame. “Yeah about that … I opened the box. The Fates said I was destined to.”
Selene sighed. “That’s what I get for meddling. I create a living vessel to contain the sins, and in doing that I tied your destiny to this. For that I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”
I nodded. “You couldn’t have known, and if this was fated, then there was no way to circumvent it. But … what do I do now? They’re killing me. I’m not sure I can hold any more of them and there are still five out there.”
She nodded, gently brushing back one of the black strands in my hair. “It’s your half human side. I thought my god DNA would be enough … but it’s not. You’ll need to pass the burden to Cronus.”
Her mention of the Titan made me shift nervously. “Pass it to him?”
She nodded. “Cronus still has a life debt with you. Though he’s severed your bond, he still owes you for releasing him. This will make it easy for you to transfer the necklace, and that way he can house the sins. In the end, you need to find a new vessel to hold them all—one that this time, hopefully, won’t be able to be broken again.”
I cleared my throat, trying to digest all the information.
“Cronus is much stronger than you. He will handle the burden of the sins easily.”
“Okay, yes.” I nodded. “It makes sense. How do we transfer the necklace?”
Step one first.
She smiled. “Narida. She’s the strongest magic user I know. Have her transfer the vessel to him.”
“But Death. The last sin…”
No one could survive Death, right?
Selene looked thoughtfully at the veil, like she’d heard him smashing against it before too. “No one ... god, Titan, or human can survive containing death. It’s a sacrifice I made to save Earth, and one he will have to as well.”
No. Fucking. Way.
Selene started to flicker, her form blinking in and out for a second.
“Wait! There has to be another way,” I screamed. “What about the box to contain them? No one has found anything strong enough.”
Selene reached up and grasped my face, her fingers trailing my cheek. “Only a few things scare Cronus, and Death is not one. This is what you must do to save humanity.”
I grit my teeth together. “But … maybe I can handle it, maybe I can hold them all?”
She shook her head, flickering again. “You cannot. Two more Sins and you will be down here with me and Earth will fall. Go to Narida. Transfer the vessel to Cronus.”
She flickered as panic seized me. I loved that big asshole back there. I couldn’t ever do anything that would see him harmed. No, there had to be another way.
“Selene, wait!” She started to float backward, toward the waterfall. I ran after her.
She smiled up at me as her form melted away. “You were my greatest creation.”
“No!” I shouted as she completely disappeared.
My legs suddenly gave out as exhaustion settled into my bones. I collapsed to the grass, letting the soft sound of trickling water lull my anxiety.
Why was the only solution letting someone I loved die? No. That wouldn’t be the case. I was going to fight! I was going to figure something out … right after I took a nap in this peaceful place.
“Fuck you, Thanatos!” I heard Cronus shout. He sounded so close, but I was too tired to turn. I just wanted to rest in this beautiful place without my burdens.
“Maisey!” He sounded closer as my eyes drifted shut. Suddenly a pair of blue and gold eyes stared down at me. He looked beautiful and furious … and worried.
“You left me,” I whimpered as his arms wrapped around me, heaving me up into the air and tucking me into his body.
“I know, love. I’m so sorry. I promise never again,” he was murmuring against my neck when everything went black.
Chapter 7
The sound of lapping waves woke me from a deep and peaceful sleep. My dreams had been a mix of my two moms, one dark-haired and the other blond. The peace I’d felt in the underworld carried into my dreams, but the moment I woke unease burst free, crashing through me.
Stretching,
I yawned, and let my arms fall down to the super-soft bed I was on. I moved my hand along the silky sheets, finally opening my eyes.
I wasn’t ready for reality, but I could no longer avoid it.
The moment I saw the wood floor and the endless ocean outside the window, I knew where we were. The same place that Cronus had brought me last time, before everything went to fucking shit.
Bali.
#YeahIHoldGrudges #GottaStickWithWhatYoureGoodAt
Like a force field that sucked me into its gravitational pull, my gaze went to the corner of the room. Cronus was perched in a chair, his huge body dwarfing the poor thing, making it look like its legs were about to collapse under it. His eyes were locked on my face like he hadn’t taken them off me for hours, his gaze steady, his expression completely unreadable.
I hadn’t forgotten what he’d said to Thanatos. I hadn’t forgotten anything.
But trust had been broken between us and it would be a very long time before I had faith that he wouldn’t just up and leave me again.
He shifted, some animation bleeding back in his face. “Hey,” he said, voice gruff.
I straightened, sitting up, clearing my throat as I tried to get myself under control. This was overwhelming … the emotions too much for me to process—especially with no food or coffee in my system.
Without a word, I got up and went into the bathroom to pee and brush my teeth, preparing my speech for him in my head.
When I returned, he was in the same spot, so I sat on the bed and faced him.
“I can’t do this, Cronus.”
The moment I said it, I realized how true that was. I couldn’t risk my heart again. It just hurt too fucking much the last time he shattered it on the floor like it was an old Christmas bauble he hated.
“Baby, I’m so fucking sorry.”
Baby? Oh hell no. Pet names wouldn’t fix this. My lips thinned and I stood, taking two steps so I could punch him square in the jaw. He must have seen it coming from a mile away, but he didn’t even try to avoid the hit.