I got the hell out of there and around the corner seconds before Amelia showed up, frowning at me.
“Really?” she said. “After that misthanger attack, why would you go out alone?”
“I was just going for a walk,” I said. “Besides, that first misthanger caught me off guard. Now that I know to expect them, I—”
“And if a hunter appears? What will you do?”
I grew silent. Amelia sighed. “I don’t want anything to happen to you. You lost eight years of your life. I understand that you want to see the world but don’t be reckless.”
I nodded. And for the first time, I didn’t mind having her with me. A little more of my skepticism faded away.
The entire time, though, I was on edge, expecting her to be like, “SIKE, your ass is going to Hell,” or some other form of betrayal. I wasn’t dumb enough to trust anyone.
I woke up the next norming from a dreamless slumber this time….and for some reason, my head was resting on Amelia’s lap, the cat gone. My first instinct was to observe the room. Don’t want to be back in Hell. I sat up. The seven o’ clock sunlight beamed through the windows of the chapel. Amelia’s human friends would arrive sometime this morning to pick us up.
I thought about leaving her there to sleep while I went out for a morning jog, but decided against that. It wasn’t because she was a vulnerable sleeping goddess. The opposite actually. Anyone that tried to molest a goddess in their sleep would get their balls ripped off before they got within an inch of her. Still, I didn’t want to sit there and think. Shoot, the only thing I had in my past was a shitty childhood and Hell. I shook Amelia.
“Wake up,” I said. She groaned at first, before opening her eyes. She moved forward as if trying to deliver a morning kiss but I turned. “Your human friends should be here in a bit.” I manifested two toothbrushes and two tubes of toothpaste. “Let’s get ready.” She sighed as if disappointed, snatched a toothbrush and a tube and started for the women’s bathroom.
“Shall we go get breakfast?” I said after we finished brushing up.
“I’m not really a fan of fast food,” Amelia said.
“Fast food? Oh! I read about—I mean, we don’t have time to be picky.” Now that I thought about food, a savaging feeling rampaged through my gut. I hadn’t eaten in eight years. Hell’s normally for the dead. When a live being is imprisoned there, hunger is dramatically increased until they go mad. For a demigod, it could be ignored until forgotten, causing our bodies to go into an extremely low-cost state. I remembered now. All of it. Images of foods I read about, had as a child, and even in Paradise Realm, popped into my head. My stomach howled, my mouth began to water.
“Seriously, that stuff is bad for you.”
“Who gives a shit—come on,” I said, pulling at her. Eventually she sighed and gave in. She prevented me from ordering like fifty things off the McDonald’s menu. I couldn’t help myself though—it was so good.
Amelia’s phone rang just as we finished breakfast. I could hear the overly-girly, happy, loud, feminine voices on the other line. Just great. Amelia’s human friends were in town.
Chapter Seven
There were three of them, looked to be nineteen, maybe early twenties. Hot. They let out a shout of joy as they rushed to Amelia, smothering her with hugs. I tried to shy away but Amelia grabbed my arm before I could take a step back.
“Girls, this is Epex, my fi—”
“Friend,” I interrupted. “Nice to meet you.” I was nonchalant.
“Hi,” they chorused, smiles on their faces.
Amelia gestured toward the black girl with long, curly, black hair. “That’s Keisha.” She pointed at the ginger with wavy hair. “Amanda.” Finally, she gestured at her Hispanic friend, short dark-brown hair, great rack. “Jade.”
I don’t know what came over me, but something within signaled that these three women weren’t normal. The respect they gave Amelia was just too damn high.
“Let’s not waste any time, it’s going to be a long six hours.”
I gazed at their vehicle. Some kind of fancy Nissan. I guess this could work. Read enough about these cars. Personally, I wanted to ascend. Why spend six agonizing hours in a full metal deathtrap when I could get to the place in a matter of seconds. If only I knew where we were going. I silently shook my head as we got into the car, Amanda driving, Keisha on the opposite side. I had the window side behind the driver, Jade in the middle, and Amelia on the other side. She tried to get the middle, but Jade refused her for some reason.
The ride sucked. The girls never stopped talking, asked too many goddamn questions, and sang along to every goddamn song on the radio. WHY THE HELL IS THE SINGER WALKING A THOUSAND MILES TO SEE SOME DOUCHE? I wanted to die. To kill myself. Worst of all, some of the songs got stuck in my head. I glanced at Amelia. She was cheery, having the time of her life, and occasionally laughing at my indifferent expressions. I began to think that Hell could actually get worse if it were run by these three humans.
I tried to fall asleep but one of her friends would pester me with a question, poke my arm, converse. It wouldn’t have been so bad if the pop songs weren’t trying to burst my eardrums. Jade by far asked the most questions and, in fact, talked to me more than her friends. I based lies off my childhood, obviously. Can’t go around telling humans I spent the last eight years in Hell. Nope. Trying to give myself a fresh start. Trying.
Jade was so close to me that I could smell her perfume. Amelia either noticed and overlooked this or pretended she didn’t see anything. I felt some tension in her power.
After about four hours, we stopped at a restaurant. Jade tried to get me to walk with her, but I used the bathroom excuse to get away. It was for her own good. She really shouldn’t provoke a fucking goddess. Even if she had a death wish.
Just then, everything froze. People, cars, animals, even insects—everything stopped moving. The air grew still. My heavenly-being senses burst into a rage. Amelia, fortunately unaffected, rushed over to me, manifesting her bow and quiver of arrows.
Three misthangers oozed from underground, whispering, “Justice shall be executed, Epex the traitor.”
Unimpressed to say the least, I chose to manifest a sword, ready for them this time.
I dashed ahead of Amelia, speed much faster than a human, and swung at the first misthanger in my path.
It seemed to be enough. I sliced right through the bastard and dashed for the other. Amelia’s arrow beat me to it. The misthanger let out a yell before falling.
The last one got into a crouching stance, armed with two of its sharp daggers. A loud, explosive pop rang through the air. The misthanger stiffened, as a bloody hole appeared in its forehead. It fell, melting into blood, seconds later. I spun to see Amelia’s friends smiling. Jade blew at the tip of her pistol and placed it in her purse.
“Okay, what’s going on?” I said to Amelia as I dissipated the sword. “Humans shouldn’t be able to move through a time stop, or see misthangers.”
“My friends are special. They’re my followers, so I blessed them with psychic enhancement.”
“You really do make a girl melt in the inside,” Jade said. “Are you implying something with that big sword of yours?” Amanda and Keisha joined in on the laugh. I blushed, then ignored them.
“I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to get them involved,” I hissed. Amelia pulled me off to the side.
“These girls have hunted with me for years,” she said. “You really have got to catch up from eight years ago. Things aren’t the way they used to be. Every hunter has his or her own way of catching criminals. My friends helped me land a spot in the top six.”
I froze. “You’re one of the fucking super elites?”
“Not anymore.”
For the first time, I actually felt ashamed. “You gave all of that glory up just…for me?”
“Of course,” she said, moving in closer.
“Amelia…” I paused. “You do know how terrible of an idea that was
.”
“I don’t care. You didn’t get a chance to live life, to see the world, to make decisions. How is it fair for you to be condemned without getting a chance to make things right?”
“Well, I did blow up the earth like twice, ripped the time-space continuum into pieces, and blew reality itself into space goo.”
“You were a child, who could barely control such vast power. Nor did you understand it. Your father didn’t even try to help you, clinging onto the ways of the old. Everyone else just seemed to abandon you, some of them caring only about the throne. I’m not like them. I believe in good but only the true sense of good. If we can’t help one of our own, then we try harder.”
I studied Amelia and saw pure truth in her eyes. She would’ve made a good queen. Maybe.
“Are you two done?” Keisha called out. “We’re going inside to order.”
Time began to move normally again.
“We’ll catch up in just a bit,” Amelia told them. Keisha nodded, and away they went.
I decided I needed to be certain of something. “Amelia, do you really care, or is this just the imprinting doing the talking?”
Amelia’s expression darkened. She narrowed her eyes. “Epex, imprinting is destiny, not mind control. And it only works at the first harbored feelings of love. Mine happened twelve years ago. Didn’t know much about it as we were just kids.”
I nodded. “Alright, I won’t question your loyalty again. I trust you.”
Amelia smiled, moving closer as if for a kiss, but I turned away. Something about doing that so soon bothered me. Just because Amelia imprinted, didn’t mean I was obligated to her. Nevertheless, amidst all the bullshit of Paradise Realm, my only friend still trusted me. Maybe destiny did bind me to her.
Still, I needed time to think, to get used to not being in Hell, to be able to look over my shoulder again without fear of getting my balls crushed.
“Let’s go.”
I paused, thinking about the situation at hand. Then it hit me. We needed to get the fuck out here.
Chapter Eight
“Amelia, we’ve got to go,” I said. “Go grab your friends.”
“Epex, what’s going on?”
“You’re one of the super elites and can’t see the trend here? Go get your friends! I’ll explain later.” My heart slammed into my chest—but I could only hope to get into the car and drive the hell out of here at a hundred miles an hour.
Amelia nodded, hurrying into the restaurant. I wanted to manifest a gun but noticed something strange. The second Amelia left, people that were carrying out their lives: walking, driving, chatting with friends, stopped, and looked at me, eyes glazed over. This was creepy, even for me. So much for training before standing up to the overpowered asshats. Oh well, I’d learn the hard way.
My heavenly-being senses flared hard enough to inflict me with a headache. In retrospect, maybe absorbing that angelic power without knowing what it would do to me was not such a good idea.
The humans suddenly spoke, synchronized perfectly and creepily. “Former heir, Epex, you sure have grown. Look at you, a young man. A young demigod. You would have made a great king. So why? Why did you betray us? God-slayer? Why? I observed you before you were sent to live with humanity. A great youth, hopeful, engulfed in potential. Now look at you. Distasteful.”
Anger stirred deep within me.
I yelled, “What the fuck do you know about me?”
Winds spiraled around me as I felt my wrath stir. “I wasn’t given the chance at life. No training for those uncontrollable powers. Forced to live with humans that tried to kill me all the time. No wonder I lost control of the powers I had no grasp on to begin with. Forced into Hell! Do you know what it’s like to live with no hope? No, you don’t. So, don’t act as if you know me.”
All of the human faces frowned. “Such hatred. You had your chance to get out of Hell within the first two years. Yet you were so bitter that you learned nothing. You rebelled. Now you not only commit treason but declare yourself a god-slayer? Epex, you’re a fool.”
A funnel of lightning struck about five feet in front of me. The actual hunter stood in front of me, arms folded. He was a bearded man, who looked to be in his thirties if he were human, wearing a simple brown shirt and black pants. Despite his appearance, I knew to take him seriously. He was a freaking hunter after all. A god. I was doomed.
“Who are you supposed to be?” I said as I manifested a revolver. This time I made sure it had bullets. The man shook his head.
“I guess I couldn’t expect you to remember me. I was an observer back in the day, before joining the force. We formally met twice. I am Yulese. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to be hunting you. I even considered turning a blind eye until you killed Oblique.”
“Who?”
“Not only did you kill Oblique, but Urn, Bran, and Jif too. All four of my misthanger servants had families.”
I shook my head. “You’re seriously trying to turn this all on me? Fucking A. Your misthanger buddies attacked first. I —”
“Enough of your excuses. You’ll be sent to the depths.”
Wow, what an asshole. But this asshole would obliterate me if I didn’t come up with a way out of this. I took aim but before I could squeeze the trigger, a human man jumped in front of the hunter, shielding him. “What will you do, Epex? Will you kill this innocent person in cold blood? Is that what you’ve become now? Both a god and man-slayer? A demon? A devil?”
“You’re no better,” I snarled. “You’re the one controlling him. You’d discard his life like it was nothing.”
“That’s not the point, Epex, former heir. But you’ll never learn.” Yulese looked as if he was about to manifest something as he held his hand in the air. An arrow shot right into his palm.” He shook his head, his face contorting with pain. “I’m surprised that Lady Amelia, of all people, would betray us. Higher than even I on the hunter scale for her incredible tracking abilities and graceful skills with the bow.” He pulled the bloodless arrow from his hand, tossing it aside. “My son would love to have you as his wife. What do you say? I will forgive you.”
“No, thanks,” Amelia said, as she walked to my side. “You know very well that Epex is bound to me.”
Yulese raised a finger. The humans left him. He wagged that finger, freezing time.
“Not many people can freeze time as well as my son and me. I can erase your imprinting, get it to reset. Don’t let this fool who cannot be saved stain your good name, Princess Venus.”
“Paradise Realm may abandon him, but I refuse,” Amelia said.
Amusement smothered Yulese into laughter. “Interesting.”
I grew tired of this shit. Time to hope for the best. I fired the pistol, landing a round center mass of the god’s forehead. Nothing happened. Shit. He grinned. “I suppose you expect me to respond to your weak violence with more violence.” Suddenly, Yulese was in front of me, his finger on my forehead.
“Okay, so gods can teleport,” I said, nervously. “Big deal.”
Well… I felt myself flying backward, pain so intense in my head that I just wanted to die. I hit the restaurant back first, fighting with all of my strength to not black out. One finger. One touch and the god blasted me at least twenty feet. How…? Well, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Gods are like a thousand times stronger than the strongest human. A pesky half-breed with sealed power like me didn’t stand a chance. We had to escape.
I looked through blurring eyes at Amelia standing off with Yulese. He looked like he wasn’t going to fight her, no matter what she did. Maybe he believed that the imprinting influenced her decisions. I know I had at one point. Imprinting’s a controversy in Paradise Realm.
I got back up, dissolving the gun. Gods and their servants seemed to dislike modern weapons. Even if I did challenge him with a sword, I’d get my ass handed to me. Immortal pricks.
That’s when an idea clicked to my head. Confronting him right now was suicide, no joke about th
at. So instead, I manifested a permanent marker and began to draw a circle. Someone tapped on my shoulder. I spun to see Jade’s curious face.
“What?” I hissed. She pointed at Yulese.
“Is that God?”
“He’s a god,” I said, turning back to the half-drawn circle.
“Then —”
“Jade, could this wait till later. I’m a little busy trying to draw something that may or may not save my life.”
“Okay,” she said, sitting next to me, fearless. “Is there anything I could do to help?” Ignoring her, I drew seven symbols: a crescent moon, a pentagram style-star, an angel wing, a stick person, an eye, a fireball, and a lightning bolt. Then I drew a few of my old symbols, the hieroglyphics. My improvements should make up for the lack of age and power compared to the old one; an improved prototype. I began to charge power into the six-foot-wide deity-trapper. “Well?”
I stopped, turning to give Jade a glare. “I need to concentr—oh, fuck.” Yulese stood there grinning, Jade’s neck in his grasps. He threw her at the restaurant door. I heard something crack when she hit it.
“Pesky little thing, needs to learn its place. And teaming up with criminals isn’t that.”
I looked at Amelia to see a tearing and reddening face. Her fists were shaking. In fact, a wild look began to form into those eyes.
I could see a transparent, blurry figure slowly rising from Jade’s body. Her soul.
Chapter Nine
Something within me clicked. I don’t if Amelia’s tears or Jade’s dying body caused it. Two things that I shouldn’t care about, yet this was something that I refused to shake off. I could feel the wrath inside finally stir out of control, the warmth of heavenly light surrounding me. I stood up, charged an enormous amount of force into my palms but didn’t use it, instead walking over to Jade, ignoring Yulese.
I just didn’t understand myself. I thought I hated humans, that I’d rather watch them burn. So why didn’t I ignore this causality, shrug it off like a bad hangover, and fend for my life without caring about anyone else?
Hell to Pay (Blood for Soul Book 1) Page 4