OF WAR Anthology Novels 1-3

by Lisa Beth Darling

  Zeus silently considered a moment and then began to nod. “Done. Say your good-byes and make it quick.” The Olympians turned their backs on Ares and his Family to give them a moment of privacy.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  Alena smiled and raised her hand to Ares’ cheek. “Don’t worry, I have a plan.”

  “Want to let me in on it?” He grabbed her hand and pressed it to his lips.

  “No, just don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”

  “Take care of what?” Raven interjected. “Look, Mom, if they let you off this rock and seal the Gate you run as far and as fast as you can, you got that?”

  “I agree with him,” Ares stated and reached down to pick up Rose who was holding her arms up to him. The little girl wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed deeply. “I love you, Rosie.”

  “Love too,” she mumbled.

  Alena soothed her hand along Rose’s back. “It’s ok, you’ll see Daddy and Raven again soon, I promise, this is just for a little while.”

  Raven leaned in close to his Mother. “You might be able to prove he’s innocent because he is but I did this, Mom, I did it. So don’t waste your time with me.”

  “Don’t give up hope, we Fey are very cunning and resilient, you know,” Alena encouraged and reached out to touch her Son for the first time since she woke. “I love you, Raven, I know this pains you and it’s not what you expected. It’s just that you’re…well you’re very spirited, that’s all. And it all got away from you.”

  Ares nearly choked on her words but Raven was left bewildered by them. “How can you look at me like that? With so much love dancing in your eyes, after everything I’ve done to you and the world?”

  Standing there watching Mother and Son, Ares remembered asking her the same question one horrible night. “Because she has an endless capacity for love, even more boundless than Aphrodite’s,” he kissed the top of her head. “Whatever you do, promise me, you’ll stay safe.”

  “I will,” she smiled for him, “we’ll be fine and we’ll be back.” Alena smirked as she took Rose from Ares and he nodded. Zeus didn’t know she could open the Gates whenever she wanted, he was expecting that once she was gone she’d be gone for good and that was a nice little Ace up her sleeve.

  “Make it quick,” Ares encouraged, “Zeus won’t delay with this, he’ll push it as fast and far as he can.”

  “I know, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “You’re just gonna let her run off and do whatever this is? Take Rose with her?” Raven protested in confusion.

  “I love you,” Ares said strongly and laid a passionate kiss on Alena’s lips. “Hurry home.”

  “I will. I love you too.” She saw the Olympians beginning to turn around. “We’re ready Great Father. Would you be kind enough to escort us to the Gates and see us off?”

  “It’ll be my pleasure,” Zeus crooned.

  A few moments later, every single inhabitant of Olympus, God, Mortal, Muse, and Grace, gathered in front of the mighty Gates of Olympus to see Alena and Rose off and to say good-bye. Mother and Daughter smiled and waved for Father and Son then disappeared through the vortex. As he promised, and much to Apollo’s dismay, Zeus sealed the Gate shut until further notice.

  “Now, you two, to the Dungeon.”

  III

  Zeus’ Dungeon was far under the Golden Palace, deep in Mount Olympus where it was dank and dark. A narrow spiraling staircase sequestered behind a hidden door in the Counsel Chamber led to the oubliette where the God of Gods kept his most dangerous prisoners. Legend held that Kronos himself carved it out of the mountain to hold Prometheus before punishment was doled out upon him for bringing the Mortals fire. So far down inside the mountain was the Dungeon that it bordered on the Underworld and rendered all magick useless.

  A cavernous place, it held a row of five cramped cells along one wall each bordered on three sides by solid rock with the iron bars of the door being the only way to see out into the room. Not that the view was comforting, the tools of torture here made Ares’ torture chamber look like a carnival fun house.

  With the torch in his hand, Zeus lit the others in the room along with the massive hearth. On either side were the impressive and terrifying torture devices Zeus loved most; the Brazen Bull and the Chair of Truth. The first was a life-sized bull made of pure gold but hollow, the victim was place inside it, a fire was lit beneath, and they were slowly cooked to death. The Chair was less subtle, it was a huge throne of heavy oak with sharp metal studs protruding from every inch of the interior. The victim was placed on it, strapped to it, and forced upon the spikes by beating them. Normally the Chair of Truth wasn’t fatal but, if one were looking for information, it got the job done. Unlike those used in the Mortal World this one pulled the poor bastard seated on it closer jamming tender flesh harder upon its spikes with every lie that slipped from their lips.

  Everything in this godforsaken room was a weapon, even the burning hearth, it wasn’t meant to keep prisoners warm it was meant to keep them sweating, panting, and completely dehydrated and it did a good job. The musty room thick with old sweat and blood held several assorted tables with straps, some of which inverted and some did not, hooks/spikes/pokers/pinchers of various sizes just waiting to be buried in the hot coals of the fire and then inserted into a writhing victim’s eye or anus or…well, whatever body part suited the mood.

  “Get in,” Zeus hissed as he opened a door to a cell.

  “Ahh, my old home away from home,” Ares said almost cheerily as he stepped into the cell, “I almost missed the old place.”

  “Keep laughing Ares,” Aphrodite cooed as Zeus slammed the door shut. “Soon you’ll be dead.”

  “You next, get in there,” Zeus ordered of Raven who hesitated a moment but then walked into the cell next to his Father. Unlike Ares, Raven flinched when the door shut.

  “You’re just gonna leave us in here?”

  “Yes,” Zeus shot with a smile, “I am.” He turned around to those who followed him down here and led them out again.

  Ares settled down on the dusty cot and laced his hands behind his head to cradle it as he leaned against the wall. “Good job, boy.”

  “Me? I can’t believe you just let them waltz us in here like that,” Raven grumbled. “This wasn’t what I had in mind.” He grabbed a hold of the bars and gave them a harsh shake only to find them solid. “How do we get outta here?”

  “We don’t,” Ares sighed, “this place is inescapable.”

  “That son of a bitch set me up, I still don’t believe it,” Raven muttered looking longingly at the staircase that led out of this dismal place. Out of rage and frustration, Raven kicked the cell door and then tried to hold back the yelp.

  “That feel good?” Ares chuckled. “No powers here, keep doing that and you’ll break your foot,” Ares huffed as he rose from the cot to begin pacing around the cell. “I see your new friend, Aphrodite, really stood up for you.”

  “I did that for you too.”

  “Oh, my, how blessed I am to have such a magnanimous Son,” Ares growled from his cage. “Always willing to take one for the team.”

  “Quit it,” Raven huffed. “You’ll see, whenever we get to the verdict part, you’ll see what she says.”

  “Guilty, that’s what she’s going to say.”

  Raven grunted, now that it was over he found it a little creepy that he’d just had mind-blowing sex with his Father’s ex-Lover. If all was for naught that wouldn’t be much of a surprise; would it? Nah, not really. Not considering how Apollo just hung him out to dry. “I don’t understand how he did it, he’s fuckin’ god for cryin’ out loud!”

  “As you, of course.” Ares fell silent a moment waiting for Raven to say something but when nothing came in return, Ares smiled and shook his head. “They say Rose is the retarded one,” he chuckled. “I’m guessing your buddy didn’t tell you about his shape-shifting abilities. You underestimated him, he’s always been very crafty
and patient. You let him fill your head with lies about me and your Mother for years. He turned you into his little bitch and you let him. Why? You’ve always hated her and all she’s ever done is love you.”

  “I already told you.”

  “Ah, yes, to make me proud.”

  Raven stared at the solid stone wall between them. “What do you think Mom’s up to? What do you think her plan is?”

  “Who knows but she’s got something buzzing in that pretty head of hers.” Ares got up from the small cot to take the step and a half to the bars and press his face against them. “Best not to talk too loud in here,” he advised in a normal tone and then made it a little louder, “these walls have ears. Very OLD and crotchety ears.”

  “Got it,” Raven muttered and hesitantly made his way to the bars. Turning to the side, he saw his Father standing there.

  “By the way; congratulations on your impending Fatherhood,” Ares smirked.

  “What? How could you know that? I don’t think even she knows yet,” Raven whispered loudly.

  Ares cleared his throat, pursed his lips and said, “I was talking about Jilios, I’m guessing you’re talking about Aphrodite. Not technically fourteen yet and already you’ve two Children on the way. Gonna go for a triple play? Who’s next? Hera? Nah, too old, oh wait, I know…Athena? Good luck there.”

  “Jilios? Fuck,” Raven groused.

  “Surprise!” Ares exclaimed. “Hey, look on the bright side, at least you don’t have to pay child support. I’m sure your Mother will be elated to call Aphrodite’s next bastard her Grandchild.”

  “Oh God.” Raven hung his head and felt the weight of his deceitful world crash down on his shoulders.

  “Yeah, well, I’m sure it’s better than Step-Child, anyway. Hey, Hunter and this one will be half-Brother and Sister AND first Cousins.”

  “Oh, would you cut it out!?” Raven cried, once again reminded of the bizarre nature of his current situation.

  “Just tryin’ to help.”

  “Yeah? Well…don’t, ok, just don’t.” Holding his arm around his churning and wounded stomach Raven fought to keep his head from swimming away with him. “What’s that?” Raven pointed across the room to a table laden with hand-held torture devices.

  “What?”

  “That, that pear-shaped thing with the turnkey.”

  Ares thoughtfully sucked on his bottom lip before answering. “Your Mother’s greatest fear, the Pear of Anguish. Why?”

  “Aphrodite’s got one. It looks nasty.”

  “You could say that,” Ares chimed.

  “She’s got something else, too, she called them the Chains of Hephaestus, said they were made for you.”

  “That bitch! I thought they were lost in the fire.” Aphrodite had been the last one in Cernunnos’ Dungeon, Ares himself left her there with a hair pin to pick the lock. She probably grabbed both sets and spirited them away to her Pink Temple before she even burst into the room where Alena lay dying in his arms. “Well, I’ll have to relieve her of those when I get out of here.”

  “When they have this trial, are we allowed to call witnesses?”

  Ares raised one eyebrow as he pondered Raven’s words. “Witnesses? You have someone who can testify, unequivocally, that you didn’t set an unstoppable plague upon the world?”

  “Yeah, I do. Maybe even one who can prove Apollo’s guilty. Wanna hear a story?” Raven whispered hopefully.

  “Story?” Ares snorted and folded his arms over his broad chest as he leaned against the bars. “Sure, why not? It seems we’ve nothing but time right now so why don’t you regale me with your tale.”

  “All right, but, hold on to your shorts, you’re not gonna believe half of it.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Into the Night

  While Ares and Raven began their first night in the Dungeon, Apollo laid back in his Temple with his Nymphs and celebrated. In the Golden Palace Zeus drank Nectar by the gallon and gloated. In the Gray Temple Athena carefully weighed what she knew against what she didn’t against what she believed in her heart to be true. In the Pink Temple Aphrodite paced around biting on her fingernails and knocking back chalices of Nectar by the score.

  On the planet below, Alena and Rose were experiencing their very first Mother/Daughter Shopping Spree. In his infinite yet cruel wisdom, Zeus saw fit to open the Gate and drop them off in New York City. Alena and Rose materialized in the desolate city, Alena was rocked by the sight of the empty city, the stench brought tears to her eyes as it threatened to unload her stomach. Pushing Rose’s head into the nape of her neck she teleported them away to a small town she knew a few miles outside of Boston. It was just as empty as the Big Apple but the rural streets weren’t clogged with cars turned coffins putrefying in the autumn air.

  They walked into what had once been a bustling little department store called Variety. It was empty now, it was dark, the electricity was out. Holding Rose to her hip with one hand, Alena tapped the staff on the floor to light the crystal at the top.

  “Oooo,” Rose remarked.

  Alena took in the sight of the abandoned store with a heavy heart. It looked like a herd of elephants had been through here, racks and full shelves were knocked over, contents spilled and trampled on the floor told the tale of the panicked hoard that ran through. Finding a shopping cart nearby, Alena settled Rose in the seat and dropped the staff between the seat and side to hold it up; a glowing beacon in the darkness. “We can’t wander around like this,” Alena explained to her young Daughter as she rummaged around in the remains of the Girl’s Department. From here, Alena planned to teleport them to the Nevada desert but since she didn’t know the exact location of Area 51, she knew there was a chance they would run into people sooner or later. Some would be healthy and some would not. Some would be kind and some would not. It was best if she and her little girl looked as much like everyone else as they could until they found what they came for and could return to Olympus. Togas and long flowing gowns were not in style in New York, Boston, or Nevada. “We won’t blend in well. How about this?” She settled Rose on the floor and then held up a pair of pink corduroy overalls with a long sleeved white shirt that had flowers around the collar to match the tulips on one leg of the overalls.

  “Ooooo,” Rose reached for it, never having seen anything like it. She looked at her blue toga and down at her feet. “Shew?”

  “You can keep the shoes, isn’t your Father inventive? He did good with that.”

  Rose gave her a wide grin before she pulled the toga over her head, plopped down on the floor, and stuck her feet—shoes and all—through the holes.

  “Ooop, nope, wait, sweetheart, wait. You have to take the shoes off first.” Alena unbuckled the straps, Rose took off the shoes, and put on the overalls then wiggled into the shirt. “I like it,” Alena complimented, putting the shoes back on Rose’s feet. “Very chic.”

  “Shhheeee-kk!” Rose shrieked happily as she danced around in aisle.

  Now that she knew what size to get Rose, Alena tossed a few more outfits into the cart before putting Rose back into the seat. They went off to the Women’s Department where Alena grabbed a RED SOX sweatshirt and a pair of Calvin Klein jeans. “Now you just hold on while Mommy tries these on, ok?”

  “‘Kay!”

  Alena took off the long fur coat, it was beautiful but she’d have no need of it where they were going. She slid off the white fur boots and her white gown. She picked up the navy blue sweatshirt that read RED SOX and pulled it over her head then she put on a pair of flat-soled black suede boots. “There, how’s that?”

  “Ooooo, Sheeee—k!” Rose cried. “Niii-ccc-e.”

  “Yeah, maybe, not too bad for an old lady, huh?”

  Not knowing how long they would have to stay down here, Alena popped Rose back into the shopping cart and they explored the empty store. Alena picked a few more outfits for Rose off the rack and a few for herself along with socks, underwear, a nightgown for Rose, along with a special
little surprise before going over to the small food aisle. Being much more of a necessity than designer jeans, the food was fairly well picked over but she managed to find packages of nuts, trail mix, dried beef, dried fruits, and the few remaining bottles of water. Passing the toy department, she plucked a big plush teddy bear from a high shelf and handed it Rose who hugged it happily. “Every girl needs a teddy bear.” She smoothed her hand over Rose’s head and smiled sadly.

  The electronics were well picked over, while small appliances abounded—blenders, toasters, can openers— there wasn’t a battery or radio left anywhere in sight. The glass case that once contained cell phones and, from the tag on the floor, a few CB radios was smashed to bits and empty. The shelves that contained Blu-Ray players were still fairly healthy but those that contained TVs were empty. “Please let there be just one?” Alena mumbled to herself as she rounded the next aisle and was greeted by mouses hanging from hooks, cables, wires, one or two web cams still remained. She snatched the first and only flash drive she found from the floor before she rolled over it with the cart. In bending down she let out a little cry of happiness as she plucked the last laptop from the shelf. It was hidden behind a pile of mouse pads. “Thank you,” Alena whispered raising her eyes to the sky and putting the precious item into the cart.

  Believing she had everything they would need Alena packed their items into sturdy backpacks she’d also grabbed. Putting a pack on her back and Rose on the floor, she knelt next to Rose. “On our trip we might play a game, do you like games?”

  Rose nodded eagerly.

  “Ok, this game’s called Peek-A-Boo.” Alena looped a sleeping mask over Rose’s head. “Whenever I say ‘peek!’ you pull this up over your eyes as quick as you can and you don’t put it down again until I say ‘boo!’, have you got that?” The mask was too big so Alena made a knot in the elastic so it would stay securely over Rose’s eyes. “Want to try?”