Battle of the Heart

by Jessica Florence

  I had battled like a gladiator. While pregnant. It was something that one did not experience every day, to say the least. I passed out shortly after the movie Tristan had put in, not even remembering the beginning credits. Total party animal. When deep slumber brought me to dreamland, I was anxious to see who would be there with me. Usually, it was Tristan. We would lay in the fields in Greece. But I also had the dream of my son recently. Would he be here this time? Or would it be someone I didn’t want to see, like one of the gods who want to hurt my children? I really hoped that wasn’t the case.

  I looked around, noticing it was much like the view I saw outside the balcony—lush, green, and calming. I could hear the river as it moved around me.

  “Hello?” I called out for anyone to hear, if they were around. No answer. Hmm, odd to have a dream like this by myself.

  A little tingle on the back of my neck made me shiver, as if someone was watching me. I turned around to find the little onyx hair boy from my earlier dream, looking at me with beautiful gray eyes.

  “Are you my son?” I asked, dying to know the answer. The boy smiled and nodded.

  “Holy shit!” I cursed, and then covered my mouth.

  “I’m sorry, I said a bad word. Forget I said that.” I was a horrible mother already. The boy snickered and shook his head. We looked at each other for some time, just observing one another before I broke the silence.

  “How is this possible? I mean. You’re here.” I pointed down to my abdomen. He came closer, sitting down in the grass and reclining. I joined him, both of us staring up at the clouds.

  “It’s one of my powers. Like Dad’s. I can walk in dreams.” Well, that explained that. I wondered why Tristan wasn’t trying to enter this dream. I figured he would want a look at our son, or would be wanting more time with me, like usual.

  “He told me not to see you in dreams.” I turned my head towards him, a frown creasing my forehead. What did he mean?

  “He?”

  “Daddy.” Say what? This was mind blowing. I didn’t even know what to say. Tristan couldn’t have said anything to this boy unless they were having mind conversations while he was in my stomach.

  “Can you tell me more?” I really needed more.

  “No. I have to go.” He sat up and looked at me. I wasn’t ready for him to leave. I wanted more time!

  “Can you tell me something about you?” I smiled, waiting for his answer. He grinned and looked up at the sky again.

  “I love bagels for breakfast.” Then he disappeared. I woke up, hungry.

  “Tristan.” I woke him up with a kiss on the lips. His eyes opened slowly, like he was in the dead of sleep, and focused blearily on my face.

  “Everything okay?” He looked around, noticing the light tear streaks on my face.

  “Yeah, baby. I’m fine. I talked to him again. Our son. We are definitely having a son!” I was so excited I could barely contain a squeal. I don’t know how, or why, but my son was chatting with me in my dream. His eyebrows pinched in confusion.

  “In your dream?” he asked and I nodded enthusiastically.

  “It wasn’t a vision but a dream, like when I visit you?” I nodded again. He wasn’t looking as excited as I was right now. It was kinda killing my buzz.

  “Yeah, he said he had the power like you.” I continued on, telling him what our son said in the dream. He listened to me without a word, then took a moment to digest it all.

  “Dimension travel.” He muttered, and it was my turn to look confused.

  “Time travel, as you might know it.” Did he just say time travel?

  “Not something to be played with. No wonder I warned him not to do it.” He ran his hands through his hair then brought those hands to my face.

  “It brings me joy to see you so happy.” He leaned in to kiss me then pulled back.

  “And that he looks like me, and takes after my powers.” He smirked and I shook my head. Such a man, wanting his son to be like him. Maybe our daughter would be like me? That would be an interesting pair to parent. I was no docile woman.

  The night passed, and nothing out of the ordinary occurred. Often my mind drifted off towards thinking about my dream, and wished I could have seen our daughter in there too. Maybe she didn’t have powers like he did?

  I wondered, would we be lucky enough to ride this all out in the underworld until the babies were born? Doubtful, but I could dream. And that was exactly what I was eager to do, dream and learn more about my future with my family. I needed to know things were going to be all right.

  Chapter Eight

  Tristan

  “SHIT!” I cursed while racing out of bed with a sword in my hand. Something was trying to break in. Something big, and strong. Orion was ready with a bow in hand, arrow ready to strike.

  “I’m going to get a look, be ready.” I told him and he nodded, aiming his bow towards the door. I felt Thalia’s presence behind me; she was nervous, but ready to fight if need be. I didn’t want that for her. She should be resting, and growing our babies without the adrenaline from battle. Grabbing the hilt of my sword tightly, I flashed myself outside the walls, staying invisible in the air.

  Wadjet

  The Cobra Goddess, that was lobbing large fireballs at my door, with a small army behind her. Gods could not be killed since Thalia destroyed that blade, but they could be detained and tortured. I flashed back to the other side and gave Orion a rundown of what was outside and trying to get in: One Cobra goddess, lower half of a large snake and the upper half of a woman. Tan skin. Snake eyes and hair in the shape of a cobra’s hood. She was dangerous, a very powerful being. In addition, ten men, armed to kill. Most likely followers of the goddess.

  “Can she get in?” Thalia asked, while looking around for a weapon. I manifested a spatha for her, and handed it over. She looked relieved to have a weapon in her hands.

  “I’d like to say no, but it’s not warded against gods; none of them would ever try to enter my domain. Wadjet is a different story. She believes she is Ra’s favorite and therefore thinks she can do whatever she pleases. A very aggressive deity. I could see Thalia start to run through her plans of attack, while Orion was devising a strategy in his head. Being the son of Athena was going to come in handy right about now. I could see the outline of the entryway was starting to turn red. Wadjet was burning down my door.

  Anger passed through me and I felt my body change. The underworld was my home. My place of power. I heard a gasp behind me and knew Thalia was a little stunned. I had changed into the Anubis figure most had known: body of a man, head of a jackal, 100 percent Egyptian god of mythology. I needed all of my power to battle against this goddess; she was very old. Both of us were around the same age. We had crossed paths a few times, but nothing of importance. Figures the gods would send her; she wasn’t afraid I would turn her to ash.

  I chuckled but I’m sure it came out more like a deep huff than a laugh. Thalia always imagined Anubis as the buff guy from The Mummy 2. Well, they were mostly right. My true form looked pretty much like a buff Egyptian with a dog head.

  “I’ll handle the goddess. You two handle the followers.” My voice rumbled in my chest. I turned to see Thalia looking over my new form. Was she frightened of me? When her eyes met mine, they flared with desire. I groaned as the feelings inside her soul touched mine. She wanted me. Badly. The Beast in me was turning her on, and she was close to jumping me. My fingers tightened around my sword and I turned my back to her. We had to fight now. As soon as we had bathed in the blood of these enemies. I would take her without abandon. Now that I was hyped up, I was ready for the attack. I opened the doors with the flick of my wrist and blocked a fireball that was heading our way, knocking it to the side. I didn’t want this fight in my home. We would battle outside.

  “You challenged the wrong god, Wadjet. This is my domain,” I roared and the ground shook from the intensity. I was pissed. I felt the unease of the goddess’s men, but he she hissed at them and they stood their groun
d. Pussies.

  “I come for the woman. Give her to me.” Her voice was like strong, with a hiss laced between her words.

  “She stays with me. Turn back now.” One last shot, and I could see the smug look on her face. She thought this was going to be easy. Did she really think after waiting over two thousand years to be with my woman that I would just hand her over now? Especially with my children growing inside her?

  “Then we fight!” She hissed and her men started running towards us. Orion shot off his arrows and took a few of them out before they were on us. Thalia and Orion started fighting, and the goddess approached me. Time to fight.

  She struck at me like the snake she was, long fangs trying to latch on to me. I outmaneuvered her, and took a swipe with my sword, slicing off part of her hair. She let out a guttural scream, and her eyes turned red with the fire within.

  I heard a scream from Thalia behind me. Turning as fast as I could, I saw a man had grabbed her. I pointed at him and he immediately turned to ash. He laid a hand on my woman, he forfeited his life. Wadjet took advantage of my temporary distraction, and latched onto my arm. Fuck that hurt. I gripped her neck with my other hand as her body tried to wrap itself around me in a tight hold. I had to get out.

  With my hand around her neck, I pulled her back, feeling her fangs as they dragged through my skin with every inch I forced her back. I was stronger than her right now.

  “You should have thought about this more Wadjet. The night is mine.” She was powered by the sun; it was unwise of her to attack during the dark. I squeezed her throat, enjoying the sound of her wheezing.

  “I will torture you as I do the murderers and demons of the earth. You will feel pain for many years if you do not leave my palace and never return,” I growled and she flinched with fear. She understood now. She was no match for me. She would lose this battle fighting alone.

  “I will go, but know they will not stop,” she warned me before disappearing from my grasp, and the underworld in its entirety. I rushed to Thalia just as she pulled her spatha free from the last man of the goddess. She was unharmed. I lifted her up into my arms and flashed all of us inside the palace, closing and reinforcing the doors behind us.

  “We need a strategy. One more week till our family becomes more. I need all possible defenses and offenses. You have until noon.” I told Orion and took Thalia to our bedroom. I set her down and looked over her for any wounds that would need tending to. She had a scrape on her right shoulder but other than that she just had a little sand on her clothes. I hadn’t switched forms yet, just in case of any more attacks. I needed to be ready and at my strongest.

  “You look amazing,” she whispered in both awe and slight fear.

  “Do you fear me?” I asked her. Having never seen me like this other than in art, I wouldn’t blame her.

  “No, just new. I’ve obviously known who you were, but I guess seeing you like this shows that you are THE ANUBIS. I’ve dreamt of you even before you came to me. I’d always had that fascination with the world of mythology and you were my favorite. You are fearless, and so powerful. But you are also sweet, and caring. You are my world, my everything.” She looked into my eyes, and I felt every single word seep inside me. She was my everything. The woman for whom I would burn the world just to keep her in my life. The battle was forgotten; nothing existed but us. Her hand came up and caressed my muzzle. She was touching a part of me no one else had, and she did it with love in every graze of those delicate fingers.

  When she pulled back her hand to touch my body, I changed back into my normal appearance. I wanted to kiss her everywhere my lips could touch. A muzzle was not made for passionate kissing. Her lips seared mine when they met; every kiss was like the first on that spot by the Nile so long ago.

  “Keep on the outfit.” She murmured against me and I smile. My woman like the warrior get up. I would oblige her.

  “whatever you wish, Love.” Using my power on her clothes, they simple disappeared. Leaving her blossoming body open for my gaze, which I pulled back to do so. She was practically glowing in her pregnancy. Her breasts were growing larger, ready for our children to suckle. Her belly was rounded and grew every day, evidence of the life we created together. She looked so beautiful. I ran my hands over her breasts, feeling their new weight in the palms of my hands. She moaned and I ran my tongue over her rosy peaks, knowing it would please her.

  “What were your thoughts earlier, when I transformed? I felt your desire. If your life had not been in danger I would have fucked you right then.”

  Chapter Nine

  Thalia

  I knew my cheeks grew pink with his question. I had been thinking very, very, dirty things at that moment. It was like seeing him in all his glory, and that side of Anubis instantly turned me into a cat in heat. I just wanted to rub against him, offer myself as his dinner. The beast in him had always been a huge turn-on to me. Shouldn’t have been, in the circumstances of someone attacking our home and all, but I was thinking of nothing but his powerful muscles lifting me up and impaling me on his cock.

  “Tell me, Thalia,” he growled and I felt wild. I want to push him, to be at his mercy for pleasure.

  “I think I’ll keep it to myself for now,” I teased, expecting him to growl or toss me down and have his way with me. What I wasn’t expecting was for him to laugh. Which he did. He laughed.

  “Oh my love wishes to be punished, does she? Shall I spank you, wife? Tie you to my bed and bring you to the brink of release? Not allow you come for hours?” Shivers danced through me. That sounded like a glorious torture.

  “I take that as yes.” His eyes flashed mischievously then he was gone. Suddenly I was tossed back lightly onto the bed, with my legs spread and his tongue on my clit.

  “Oh GOD!” I couldn’t keep the moan in, once he touched me.

  “Beg me, wife. Beg me to tease this sweet cunt.” I felt his growly voice vibrate against me, bringing me closer to sweet release. He wanted my words, but I was playing a dangerous game already. I wish I could flash around like he could. I would. Before I could even finish that thought, I felt myself falling.

  “Holy shit!” he said, his eyes wide, staring up at me. I looked down at him and was stunned.

  “Did I just flip you?” I was shocked. I was thinking about how it would be to move like he did, and then it just happened.

  “Yeah. I wonder if you’re feeding off one of the babies’ powers.” Tristan looked down at my belly, like he was trying to get a read on them. If what he said was true, then that was amazing. Very powerful children. I looked over Tristan’s body beneath me and felt brave. The tables had turned. I leaned down to kiss his lips, then trailed passionately down his body, making sure to pay attention to every dip in his abs. Licking the v that lead to the crown of him, which was trying to break past his jeweled wrap.

  “You want me to take you in my mouth, don’t you, husband? You want me to suck you, then hop on and ride you.” I was enjoying playing with him, but it seemed I finally had pushed him beyond his control with my words. Before I could move, I was flipped over and on all fours, with Tristan pushing into me with one hard thrust.

  “That mouth of yours.” He leaned down and brought my lips to his, pounding into me while his tongue did the same to my mouth. I cried out and gripped the sheets for dear life. All the adrenaline from fighting was being released in our coupling and I relished it.

  “Fuck!” he groaned and I knew he was savoring the compressed energy right along with me. Together we traded positions of control, and found release, over and over.

  Once we were both completely sated and cleaned up, we were ready to speak with Orion about strategies. We were running out of time before the babies came. So many things to do.

  Orion was sitting in the living room playing on Tristan’s Xbox, seeming very at home, which was just weird.

  I grabbed something to snack on, and together we all sat and listened to Orion’s plan. It was well thought out. Being the son of Athena
, and living for over two thousand years, had really trained him in the art of war. He decided that Tristan’s home was going to continue to be our base, being that this was his domain, and he was the strongest there. We would bring Lacey and Leander here to help in any way they could. Leander had pull with the military, and would help stock us up on weapons. He also owned a big demigod gym. He would recruit people to help, should the need arise. While Tristan wasn’t too keen on having lots of people in the underworld— something about balance—he agreed to the plan because he wanted me to remain safe. We had to be ready for whatever the gods were going to do. They made their play with assassinations, which failed. Tristan said next would be trickery. I wasn’t quite sure what that meant, but I would be on the lookout for anything that didn’t seem normal. If all of the gods’ attempts to get to me and the babies failed, then there would be a big battle. I really wanted to avoid that, especially since none of the gods could really die. They would just be hurting all mortals in their path. Those deaths would be willing, but I would feel every one of them like they were a part of me.

  Orion had a plan for trickery of our own. After he had gone through every part we would play, I was feeling both mentally and physically exhausted. My mind just wanted to cut off. In such a short time I had finally married my love after many years, found out I was pregnant, with twins no less, thrown into an arena to fight, talked to my son in the dream world, fought again, and now worked out this elaborate plan to make sure our babies would survive this battle. I felt at my end for now. I needed to rest my mind, and body.

  “I’m going to go lay down.” I gave them both a smile while they looked at me, with the same worried look on their face.