by Leia Stone
Athena struck instantly, her blade moving so fast I couldn’t even track it. I thought for sure that Cronus was about to die, because who could stop a stroke that powerful? But he—almost lazily—lifted his gigantic weapon and met her blow, before countering with a swing of his own.
Athena actually looked impressed. “Usually it takes weeks to recover energy after being in the prison realm. You’re surprisingly strong.”
That was scary considering Cronus said he still felt weak. How freaking strong was he at full power? I’m sure if I asked him, he’d tell me.
#EgoIsStrong
Cronus didn’t bother to converse; he just swung his weapon in some fancy configuration and Athena was straight back to fighting him. The noise was almost deafening as their blades crashed together, over and over, in a display of power and skill that would have been quite fascinating to watch if my life wasn’t on the line.
Another figure burst into the clearing and Athena shot him an exasperated stare, which gave Cronus the opening he’d been searching for. He sliced across her arm; she cried out in pain and backed up. Blood coated Cronus’ blade and he grinned.
“Apollo,” Athena snarled, “what are you doing here? You were supposed to wait for my call.”
Apollo could be the twin of Athena. I knew that without even having a clue what the Greek mythology said. He was the dude version of her, right down to the gold and bronze blade.
“Sister, darling, you were losing.”
Athena’s cheeks were mottled with red as she faced off with her brother. “How dare you! I’m the goddess of warfare, wisdom, and the arts. Which includes the art of fighting. You dare to insult me, half brother? I should gut you right here.”
Hmm, not twins. I was close at least, and I’d figured that shit out with very little help from anyone other than myself … and possibly Google … when I’d been searching for information on Cronus. For wise gods, these two were immature as fuck.
I was about to suggest to Cronus that we should back away quietly, when strong arms wrapped around me, a hand going over my mouth before I could make a sound.
“Well, well, well, look at what I caught. A human.”
His voice was low and husky, teasing along my senses, causing fear and arousal to mix together somehow. I mean, seriously … I hadn’t even seen his face, but the voice was fucking sexy.
Cronus’ head snapped in our direction and his eyes darkened, piercing through me as he took a step closer. “Let her go, Thanatos.” His voice was a growl as I thrashed and tried to fight against the hold.
To my surprise, Thanatos, whoever the hell he was, released me in an instant.
Cronus eyed the god for a moment, before he reached out and grabbed me, pulling me right into his side. “What are you doing here?” he asked this Thanatos, and I got my first real look at the god.
Holy balls. No wonder his voice was so sexy. It had to be to match the rest of him.
Standing eye to eye with Cronus, Thanatos was tall, dark, and fucking handsome, his hair brushing across his ears, with a few long strands in braids. His eyes were dark as well, his skin creamy brown, and his shoulders unnaturally broad. His face was a work of art though: thick full lips, perfect masculine planes, and wickedly smiling eyes as he took me in just like I was doing with him. He was as beautiful as Cronus, and before I saw him I would have said that was impossible.
“You didn’t tell me that you’d tied yourself to a human,” Thanatos said, “and especially not one as delicious as her.”
Cronus shrugged. “She has the beauty of a goddess, but the tongue of a viper.”
#CronusThoughtIWasHot
“It’s called thinking for yourself,” I told him. “Women do that these days.”
Thanatos didn’t seem put off by Cronus’ warning. If anything, there was a gleam of interest in his eyes that made me both slightly turned on and slightly nervous. I wasn’t sure I could handle a god, and right now really wasn’t the time.
Still...
#BucketList
“Why are you here, Thanatos?” Cronus asked him, his voice very serious. He was holding his weapon with a stronger grip too, and something told me that he was worried about facing this particular god. He hadn’t shown any flicker of nerves against Athena—who was still arguing with her idiot half-brother behind us.
Thanatos stepped forward, all of his humor disappearing in an instant. “You need an ally, and I have a job for you once we get your mess sorted out. I’m here to help you.”
What?
Cronus didn’t seem as confused, his eyes darting to where Athena and Apollo had sorted their shit out and were now moving forward together. There were loud echoes from whatever Zeus was doing to this island ringing through every now and then. We were surrounded here. Did Cronus have the strength to fight them all?
Not right now.
But was Thanatos for real? Because we could really use an ally.
Lightning crashed at our feet, almost literally, about a yard from us. That knocked Cronus into action. He wrapped an arm around me. The other went to Thanatos. And then everything went dark.
Chapter 7
When the world stopped spinning, I wondered if maybe my brain was broken, because everything was still dark. Like … not a sliver of light to be seen. I could feel Cronus close by—our bond was not broken yet—but I could also feel another powerful presence.
How I was feeling these things, I had no idea, but I was learning pretty fast that to survive—mentally—in this world, I needed to just go with the flow and question very little.
“Now is hardly the time for your dramatic pauses, Thanatos,” Cronus’ deep voice rumbled from nearby. “Reveal yourself.”
Thanatos chuckled, before he clapped his hands twice and suddenly light scorched my eyeballs and I threw both hands up to block the glow. What the hell? Where were we? Did he live on the sun?
Thanatos laughed and I apparently said that out loud, because he replied. “If we were on the sun, you’d be dead, human.”
Right. So right. #TheSunIsHot
“So, where are we?” I asked, managing to squint one eye open, and then the other, my body adjusting. We had definitely left the island. This must be that flashing travel thing Cronus was telling me about.
“The hell realm,” Cronus said, and I gasped.
“Say what now?” I stumbled toward him, my eyebrows lifting up as I eyeballed the fuck out of him. “Did you just say hell realm?”
I did not become a vegetarian and donate five hours a week to plastic beach clean-up to end up in fucking hell. I mean, I had done those things for more than just the afterlife, but it was still always in the back of my mind. #UnFuckingFair
Thanatos chuckled again. “Hell, Hades, the Underworld. You’re not up on the old family tree, are you?”
I shook my head fiercely. “Honestly, I know the basics. Aphrodite, Zeus, Poseidon…”
Thanatos and Cronus both snorted.
“All the fuckers hogging the limelight,” Thanatos growled.
I paused. “Aren’t they the most powerful?”
Thanatos howled with laughter, and Cronus almost looked like he was going to crack a smile.
#NotASmiler
It took Thanatos a good few minutes to calm himself.
“I really need to get on Zeus’ PR team,” Cronus said, shaking his head. “If the Fates weren’t trying to kill me every time I went near them, I’d definitely go on the waitlist.”
These guys were insane. This was insane.
Hell realm. Thanatos. #WTF
I took a look around, surprised by the lack of fire and brimstone and torture. It was a long meadow, filled with white wildflowers, and the sun was warm and bright. I was pretty sure there was a trickling brook off in the distance.
“Is this an illusion?” I asked, waving my hands in front of me. “Are you a god of illusion, luring the dead into this false world?”
Now he looked highly affronted; dude wore his emotions on his gorgeous f
ace. “I’m the god of death, sweetheart, and this is the eternity that’s allowed for a few blessed souls.”
The. God. Of. Death.
#Run #FuckingRun
As if Cronus sensed my panic, he reached out and clamped an arm around my shoulders, pinning me to his side. “So what is this favor?” He got right down to business.
Thanatos gave him a smile. “Remember the Elixir of Life?”
Cronus wore a half smirk, but my legs still went a little weak. He was actually hotter when he wasn’t scowling, something I didn’t think was possible.
“You sly devil, you want the Elixir? For what?”
Thanatos gestured to me. “You’re not the only one with a human.”
Cronus chuckled. “Really? You fell for one of the weakest races alive?”
Hey, right here, asshole!
Thanatos shrugged, “What can I say? She does it for me. But she’ll grow old and die without the Elixir.”
Cronus nodded. “That she will, and you want me to fetch it for you?”
Thanatos clapped his hands together and then spread them out, creating a projector screen of an image between his palms. There was an island with a glowing light coming up from the middle of it.
“It’s inside a volcano on New Zealand's north island. Rumor has it only a Titan can retrieve the elixir, and since you’re the only one left…”
I’m sorry, did he just fucking say inside a volcano? Nope. #NotGoing #CantMakeMe
Cronus squared his shoulders. “It’s a big favor. I know of that volcano. I heard Zeus locked up every powerful magical artifact he could find in there a little over a thousand years ago. It’s got traps all over it.”
Thanatos nodded. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but if you bring me the elixir, I’ll help you take down Zeus. It’s high time your boy learned there are consequences to his actions.”
Cronus slammed his closed fist to his chest, before extending it. “You’ve got a deal.”
Whoa. He was quick to agree after just admitting Zeus had locked stuff away in there for good reason. But maybe a favor from the god of death was worth it.
Thanatos did the same thing with his fist, and then when their knuckles slammed together, I felt the ground shake a little.
Then the god of death looked right at me.
“Hmm, you reckon she’s Selene’s or Aphrodite’s?” He let his gaze run over my face, to my hair and down my body.
What?
Cronus rubbed the back of his neck, “I haven't really explained that to her yet.”
“Explained what?” My voice cracked.
#PlayDumb #EverythingIsFine
Cronus watched me closely. “You know someone who was a hundred percent human couldn’t have opened my portal, right...?”
Wait, what? What in the what?
“She looks like one of Aphrodite’s.” Thanatos commented, eyes on my chest.
Cronus sighed, “Look at her hair, she’s Selene’s. Besides, I’ve smelled her blood. Definitely moon goddess.”
My mouth went suddenly dry. Smelled my blood? Moon goddess? “What the fuck are you talking about?”
Cronus was silent a moment, rolling out his neck like this conversation was an inconvenience to him. “Well, human, what we’re saying is that you’re obviously a demi-god. Half human, half—”
“Stop!” I plugged my ears; I couldn’t hear another word. I was going to be sick. It was enough that I was chained to this dude for the rest of my life, it seemed, but now I was part god.
Hard. Fucking. Pass.
Cronus rolled his eyes. “Clearly the maturity level isn’t there yet.”
Thanatos nodded as if he understood. “Humans.”
I unplugged my ears then. “So you’re telling me this entire time you keep calling me human and I’m…”
Cronus leaned his hands on his knees and got down to my level. “A demi-god.” He said very slowly. “Which means you are still fifty percent a weak little human.”
My face fell as the panic attack that had been clawing at the corners of my mind worked its way into my chest. How? How was this possible? I’d had a mother until I was seven. I remembered her dying in a car accident. She was definitely human. But they were saying something about a Selene? How?
“I’m ... I’m not fully human?”
Something crossed Cronus’ face. Dare I say it was concern for me?
“You’ll be fine,” he said as if that verbal Band-Aid fixed everything.
You’ll be fine? He just got done telling me I was descended from one of the gods and I got a “You’ll be fine.” I didn’t even know who the hell Selene was!
“So, if this is wrapped up, want me to drop you near Mount Tarawera?” Thanatos asked.
Cronus snaked a hand around my waist and pulled me into him. “That would be fine. I’ll return with the elixir and then we can imprison Zeus for a few thousand years.”
The god of death gave a bark of laughter. “Sounds like old times.”
And with that, the darkness took me.
I’d barely had time to process the demi-god bomb and now I was being … teleported ... to New Zealand!
What. The. Hell?
Nausea rolled into me for a hot second, then searing light flashed before my eyes. All the while, Cronus had his arm tucked firmly around my waist, until finally my vision cleared and we were standing in what looked like the middle of a rainforest. Just Cronus and I, in the middle of nowhere.
I rounded on him. “Why didn’t you tell me the first night we met that I was a demi-god!” I seethed. I shook my head. “Fuck, why am I even surprised? You’ve never even asked my name. It’s Maisey, by the way. Maisey Hope Parker.”
He looked up at some mountain and then down at me as if I were an annoying fly. “Your name means nothing. It’s not who you are. And … I didn’t tell you about the demi-god thing because I didn’t want it to go to your head. You take enough pictures of yourself as it is.”
#NotTrue #OkayMaybe
“So, do I have powers?” I put a hand on my hip. I mean, if I was a demi-god, I totally had powers and I’d rather be warned about them now than have magic start shooting from my palms and hurt someone.
He looked like he was trying not to smile. “You’re a descendant of Selene, the moon goddess—half, might I add. The only power you’re likely to have manifest at this age is some glowing hair during your monthly cycle.”
WHAT? “Well, that can’t be all! And I’m just a descendent? So my mother was really my mother?”
Cronus shrugged. “I don’t actually know your story. Funnily enough, I can’t tell just by looking at you.” #SarcasticFucker
My fury must have shown on my face because he held placating hands up. “Just be grateful. You’re genetically blessed, and somehow have the blood of a god within you. Now, can we move to the task at hand? If we can snag this elixir, my power should be almost fully back and then Thanatos can help me defeat Zeus.”
He started to walk up the mountain and I had no choice but to follow him. “And after we defeat Zeus...?”
I was not in shape for a freaking hike up a mountain, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. Craning my neck, I looked at the top, which appeared to have been cut off and had definite volcano vibes.
“Then I find a way to detach us and we go on our merry way while I put the rest of the gods in their place and avenge my siblings’ deaths.”
My eyes bugged. “A very, very, safe way to detach us that does not end in my death, right?” Fuck, I couldn’t breathe and my legs were burning. Why did my monthly yoga not prepare me for this?
“Right.” His back was to me, so I couldn’t read the sincerity in his face, I would just have to believe it was there. “You’re panting. Do you need me to carry you?”
I scoffed. “Absolutely not!”
It’s called breathing heavily, you giant ass!
Why didn’t we bring water? This was how people ended up on the news. I set my head down and pushed forward, determined to
climb this bitch all by myself.
Chapter 8
An hour later, draped over Cronus’ shoulder, we reached some type of flat path.
I tapped his back with a grin. “Servant, you may put me down now.”
Slowly, he slid me down the front of him, rubbing my chest against all his yummy bits. I’d have thought he was enjoying it if not for the deathly glare he’d pinned on me. I’d given in about seven minutes into our hike and declared that I must be carried or die.
“Oh lighten up. Life’s too shitty all on its own without having a bad attitude,” I informed my man giant.
“Are you always this cheery?” he growled.
“Pretty much. Praying you’ll be stuck to me forever?”
That nearly got a smile out of him. “You just described my worst nightmare.”
He set off down the flat path and my tongue started to feel swollen with thirst. “Dude, I’m gonna need water soon. Half human, remember?”
He stopped abruptly and I slammed into his back.
Then he looked up at the sky. “Let’s see if my power is returning.”
I stared at the sky with him for a whole three minutes before I grew bored. “Are water bottles going to fall from the heavens?”
He gave me a sharp glare and that’s when it started to rain.
“Holy shit! You did that? I thought that would be like, Zeus’s power or something. Ya know, rain and thunder kind of go together.”
He tipped his chin up. “I’m a Titan. I have more power in my hand than Zeus has in his whole body.”
A grin pulled at my lips. “Your dick just got bigger as you said that, didn’t it?”
The rain poured down harder and he ignored me, walking over to a giant leaf. Reaching out, he lightly grasped the back of my neck and coaxed me forward, an act that sent shivers down my spine. Holding the leaf to my lips, I sucked as he tilted it downward and a rush of water entered my mouth.
I moaned. Water! Beautiful, amazing, hydrating water.
When I’d had my fill, I looked up and Cronus was watching me. His gaze raked down my face to my lips and my whole body heated.