I could feel the lightning running through my veins, breaking past the wall inside of me it’d been hidden behind my whole life, bouncing off my body, blowing back those who held me down. With all the strength of my father, I rushed forward, a battle cry on my lips. All I could think was that I needed to stop Zeus.
Praise for The God Chronicles
“I love stories about the Greek gods. I've always wanted to be a part of that history and culture, and when I saw this book I was super excited to try it. I wasn't disappointed… I felt like I was there, being a part of the story. I can't wait to read the next one!”
~ Sam Pearce, Amazon Customer
“It's one I want to carry around with me everywhere so in those spare moments waiting on someone or something I can escape back into it... This is a beautifully written story that I highly recommend! In fact I already have to all my family and friends.”
~Brenda L. Anderson, Amazon Customer
“This series is excellently written. Much more compelling for a woman than the original "Thor" movies/books. You end up loving the inner fight that these characters go through. You won't regret this read at all.”
~Kimy, Amazon Customer
“I love the series!!!!”
~Laura, Amazon Customer
“This is one of my top best series I've ever read.”
~Amazon Customer
Other Books by Kamery Solomon
Forever
The God Chronicles
Zeus
Poseidon
Hades
Adrastia
Exoria~ Coming Soon!
Taking Chances (A Dreams Novel)
The God Chronicles
Adrastia
By Kamery Solomon
Happily Ever After Publishing - Arizona
Copyright © 2014 Kamery Solomon
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Published by
Happily Ever After Publishing
Arizona
Kindle Ebook Edition
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
This book is available in print and ebook format.
For Jake
Acknowledgments
Sometimes, I feel like writing the dedication and acknowledgments is harder than writing the book, haha! There are so many people I need to thank and it’s just so hard to express my gratitude in one little page.
As always, I have to thank my husband. He listens to me talk to myself, offers advice, encourages me in every way, and even sat in my little office and listened to me read a good chunk of this book out loud to him. I don’t know how or why he puts up with me, but I’m so grateful and I love him so much!
Mom and Belinda, I have to thank you both again as well. You are such inspirations to me, you have no idea. It’s because of you that I push myself to be better. I aspire to be an author like the two of you. This book is what it is because of your encouragement and examples. I know you’ll always stay fantastic!
Thank you to my beta readers, who are continually putting up with my excitement and reading what I have to offer them. Your honest opinions are very much loved and appreciated in this house! I’m always eagerly awaiting to hear what you have to say. Thank you for being a part of my life.
Lastly, thank you to all the other authors out there. Sometimes I have a hard time feeling inspired and I have to take a break. Your brilliantly written stories never fail to make me want to get up and create my own world to live in.
Love always,
Kamery
Prologue
Cristos
My whole life, we have been at war.
It happened just before I was born, The Undoing. Maybe it was the foolishness of gods who'd held power too long that enabled the Titans to break from their prison in Tartarus. Maybe it was simply fate, tired of seeing the scales continually tipped in the favor of the Olympians. Either way, the moment it happened, everything changed.
The Olympians did their best to act quickly, but to no avail. The giants, who should have come to our aid, revealed themselves as villains, smashing through the gates and releasing the greatest enemies this world has ever known.
A battle ensued, with both sides refusing to give ground. Slowly, the Olympians fell under the burning hands of their predecessors. When Hades fled the scene, his dying lover in his arms, all was lost. The remaining Titans took it for what it was—a sign of fear—and attacked with more vigor, driving back the forces of good and escaping into a universe that had long forgotten what they were capable of.
I was born soon after, into a panicked and changing world. The Olympians were still trying to track down any Titans they could, locking them back in Tartarus. The prison was on high alert, being watched by much more than the fallen God of the Dead now. Even with the extra precautions, it seemed all but Olympus had fallen in the catastrophe.
Things started changing in the mortal realm, fear seeping into the minds of humans and turning them against each other, wars exploding into being across their lands. The Titans were using the helmet they'd stolen from Hades to drive the fragile beings to extinction, the magic of the helm spreading terror everywhere it went. It wasn't hard for my family to discover their enemy's plan. By destroying the very people the Olympians needed worship from to survive, they would overthrow our tiny hold on power and once again become the rulers they craved to be.
From a very young age, I was trained to find the monsters and return them to their prison. It has been my life's mission and calling, to honor my parents and restore the order that was lost from them. As I aged, I became more and more adept at my task, earning the honor and respect of the Ancients I lived among.
To the Titans, I am Adrastia, the Inescapable. To the Olympians, I am Cristos, Avenger, and son of Zeus.
Chapter One
Spitting the chewed sunflower seed onto the snow dusted pavement in front of me, eyes narrowing, I watched the group of young men enter the club across the street. They laughed loudly, excitedly, having no clue what awaited them inside. Unfortunately, they weren't the first I'd seen.
From my hiding place in the dark alley, I popped another salty seed into my mouth, waiting for what would feel like the perfect moment to enter the glorified crypt. I'd been watching the entrance for several nights now, taking note of who came and went and how they acted each time. It hadn't taken long to be certain the club—The Beat—was actually the lair of an empuse. Any man who entered the vampire's hideaway had just as good a chance of leaving in a bloody body bag.
Spitting again, I picked a well worn leather jacket up off the seat of my black motorcycle, sliding it over my black t-shirt with ease and covering the identifying tattoo on my right shoulder. Chances were, the remaining Titans didn't know to look for it, since any who had seen it remained locked in Tartarus or had met their death. The monsters I also hunted ended in whatever manner they deserved. They would know who I was as soon as I attacked them, but I preferred not to leave anything to chance.
A s
trong but muffled beat called out to me from behind the closed and guarded doors, no doubt the source of whatever magic was drawing people inside the den of death. I'd noticed it the very first night I arrived, having suddenly felt the strong desire to disregard my surveillance and go in for a drink. Ever since then, I'd worn ear plugs. It kept the biting urge at bay for the most part. Hopefully, it would be enough to help me keep my head once I was inside.
Finally, the moment felt right and I slid a pair of sunglasses over my eyes, darkening the already dingy night even more. All that remained for me to carry in was the beat up backpack I took everywhere with me. Thanks to an enchantment, it enabled me to easily carry the sword of my father, Zeus, wherever I wished. It made sneaking up on targets that much easier.
Hands shoved in the pockets of my black jeans, head down, I stepped from the cover of the alley. My riding boots crunched against the dirt and grime of the rundown street, each step taking me closer to another conquest. It made my blood race, adrenaline pumping through my system at break neck speeds at the thought of one more fight.
The bouncer at the door nodded at me, opening it and ushering me inside with a group of anxious young men. The music effected them more strongly than it did me, made to entice mortals instead of gods. As soon as they entered the loud and crowded club, I could almost see the awareness slipping from them, their eyes losing some of their sharpness as the men spread out in different directions, looking for whatever entertainment would meet their fancy.
Slowly, I made my way through the crowd, eyes sweeping the room for the beast I wanted. She was certainly not alone, my gaze taking in several other girls who were leading men away into private rooms, their bodies moving with the music in maddening ways.
I huffed out a breath, concentrating on the task at hand. The purple and black room was heavy with smoke and sweat, everyone who wasn't occupied with a dancer pushing their way to the stars leading down to the dance floor. It was much easier to allow myself to be shoved in that direction, rather than try to push through.
The rail was hot and slick with sweat already as I looked down at the floor, assessing the mass of bodies crushed together in front of the disk jockey's stage. The empuse was in there and I was going to have to go in and find her.
Moving with the crowd, I walked down the stairs, sliding around those who had given up their quest and were dancing on the steps. Eventually, I reached the floor, pleased with how little attention I'd drawn to myself.
Fading in with the crowd, I grabbed the waist of the woman closest to me and started moving against her. The music affected her as well, freeing any inhibitions she might have had, and she was a very enthusiastic partner.
Slowly, I quietly worked my way deeper into the crush, body brushing against so many others it was hard to tell what was mine and what belonged to another. Ever conscious of the bag on my bag, I made certain it was never taken or opened.
Everywhere I looked, the monster was not. The usual trails I followed, manifesting as color waves in the air only I could see with my tracking powers, covered the whole room, making it impossible to know exactly where it was. I only had one identifying marker—its characteristically red hair—and I was having to watch each matching woman very closely.
The dancing continued on endlessly, bodies bumping together, music never stopping, and more and more people packing inside the building. Retaining focus on finding the leading monster was becoming more difficult, especially knowing there were innocents being attacked and made to wait for their deaths by others on the level above us. I preferred to go in and get a job done without taking my time about things.
A loud groan caught my attention and I turned, moving to the beat against the man back to back with me. The woman he was clutching had her face buried in his neck, her fiery hair cascading over his shoulder and covering her own hand, gripped around his bicep. We were so close it tickled my own arm, curling under my shoulder and brushing across my neck.
As she broke away from him, he released another pained moan, the same sound that had alerted only me. The woman laughed, tossing her head back, her locks flipping back to show her features, revealing what I'd expected to find.
Ruby red blood covered the lower half of her face, dripping off her chin and rolling down her neck into the enticing amount of cleavage her shirt left uncovered. The white lace blouse looked to be stained with the gore of more than one victim.
She continued to roll her neck, laughter bubbling from her bloody maw, her sharp teeth barely visible. The man she'd fed on was fading fast, I could feel him beginning to collapse against me, when she all but tossed him into the arms of what must have been her lackey. He slowly began making his way through the crowd, off to dispose of the body.
"Hey fella," the empuse cooed, sliding into the space her previous meal had occupied and up against me, running her hands over my jacket, down the front of my chest. "Wanna dance?"
She smiled at me sweetly, on a high from all the feeding she'd been doing. Despite the ongoing massacre, her teeth were white and shining at me from between her plump lips. Golden eyes looked into mine, no hint of danger in them. If it weren't for the fact she was covered in death, I might have even found her attractive.
I couldn't help but be impressed with her setup, the brilliance of it all astounding, especially since she shouldn't have been able to obtain an enchantment this strong from anyone. It likely meant I would be going on a hunt for a witch or two next.
"Why don't we go somewhere private?" I purred back. "Where I can have you all to myself?"
"Ah, ah, ah," she said, waving a finger in my face. "That's not how it works. I like the dance floor, don't you?"
She raised a hand in the air and made a flicking motion, the music getting louder immediately after she did so.
"It's so much cozier here," she grinned, rubbing up against me. "And you can still touch whatever you want."
I danced with her for a minute, letting her fall back into her over confident state, where she would never expect what was coming next.
"You know," I started, grinding with her, my hands sliding up her arms that were wrapped around my neck. "It's going to take a lot more than some loud music and sex appeal to trick me into believing you aren't a beast. And as soon as I'm done with you, I'm going to burn this place to the ground and destroy all of the other monsters you're hiding here."
She stopped cold, her sexy smile fading away faster than waves from the shore, her expression turning to ice. Suddenly, her hands ripped the glasses from my face and threw them on the ground.
"Adrastia!" she hissed, shoving away from me and pushing through the crowd.
Adrenaline pumped even harder through my system, a smile covering my face as I began the chase.
The music kept the people around me sluggish and unwilling to move, the mortals finally getting enough sense to slide out of my way after watching several others get shoved to the ground. As I passed the source of the melodies, I grabbed my sword from its hiding place at my back.
Yanking it from the beat up bag, the room instantly became brighter, lightning sparking from the blade in every direction. Grasping the golden hilt, I swung it down hard, a satisfying crunch and sizzle meeting my ears as the entire sound system was fried. It only took a minute for the effects of the enchantment to wear off, screams filling the air as people awoke to the carnage around them.
The empuse was still in my sight, running for a side door, throwing people out of the way, teeth snapping at those who stood frozen in fear.
I passed through the opening not long after her, moving at full speed, determined to not let her escape.
Suddenly, a metal something connected with my face, shooting out from a small crook in the wall. Warmth oozed out of my nose, my skin stinging, but my training helped me keep my head.
Grabbing the metal object, I recognized it as one of the demon’s legs, another trait she shared with all of her kind. Using a single arm, I ripped her out of her hiding spot, throwing her a
gainst the wall, and thrusting my sword towards her at the same time.
She hissed at me in pain, ducking out of the way at the last moment, and scurrying from the sparks that leaped off the brick of the narrow hallway. To her credit, she didn't try to run again, instead revealing a small, silver dagger she'd hidden in her waistband.
"The great Adrastia," she said breathlessly, agitation and fear showing in the way she rocked from foot to foot. "I never would have thought I was such a threat the gods would send you after me."
"They don't send me anywhere," I replied coolly. "I go where I want and take care of any filth I feel like."
She hissed again, the sound turning into that of a scream at my insult.
"Still," she continued, sneering as she composed herself. "I would have thought your time was better spent hunting Titans. Maybe you're more like your Uncle Hades though, too afraid to do his job and lose another precious item."
The anger I displayed as my sword swung toward her wasn’t real. As I’d planned, the blade missed her by a longshot.
A crazy cackle resonated in the space, her confidence seeming to grow as I'd hoped it would.
"Oh, did I hit a nerve?" she laughed again, taking a step forward and jabbing her knife towards me.
Moving easily to the side, I knocked her back, waiting for the right time present itself.
"I spent time in Tartarus already, you know," she spat bitterly, trying to circle around me. "I'm not going back. It wasn't fair for the gods to lock us all up in the first place, stripping from us our rights to wander the earth as we once did."
"You have no rights," I replied smoothly. "You were a danger to a growing world, so you were removed."
"Not anymore," she laughed. "Ever since The Undoing, we've been free. Nothing is going to change that, not even a petty war between gods. Especially if what they say about Hades is true."
Adrastia (The God Chronicles Book 4) Page 1