Chapter 4
MILO
I was losing patience with the humans, and I was snorting far more than appropriate with a human face. They were worried and scared; I got that, but I wanted to be at home with Wren, making sure she was okay, holding her close and ensuring that nothing could ever hurt her again.
Instead, I was here, moving rubble created by the monsters that had crawled out of the darkness, including fucking Typhon. I couldn’t believe that they’d wanted Wren so bad that they’d released the Father of Monsters from his immortal prison. Talk about drastic measures. There was just as much of a chance that he’d turn on them, in revenge for his imprisonment, than do their bidding.
Ekhidna had also been there, and maybe that had been keeping him in line, because as soon as she’d disappeared into Hades’s Hell pit, Typhon had roared and disappeared. My chuckle was dark, scaring some of the humans working beside me. I hoped he tracked down those witches and tore them to pieces.
Cy ran up to me in his dog form, dodging the hands of the townspeople. I always wondered what they’d say about their beloved village dog being able to turn into a man. Some knew, of course—the elders with long memories—but they’d never told the younger generation. It had been a long time since Cy had changed forms, so maybe the fact had just gotten lost to old age.
He yipped in my direction, flicking his head back toward the compound. His meaning was clear, even if he did bark it at me.
“She’s out of her room?”
After the guys had told me what happened, I’d known I needed to leave or I’d wreck things: either Demke’s face, or my relationship with Wren. I wouldn’t be able to give her the space she demanded, because the very idea that she was angry at me was like barbs in my chest.
So I left to do something helpful, like clear the rubble from the roads and ensure the townspeople were okay. Anything so I wouldn’t just pace outside her door until she emerged.
Cy nodded, and I wondered if the townspeople noticed. Probably not. Humans were great at ignoring the supernatural right in front of them.
I found Stavros, who was sitting on a small stone wall, looking annoyed that he couldn’t help. He was walking with his stick more these days, and I knew our old confidant was rapidly spinning toward death. He was one in a long line of many. After all this time, I thought I’d hardened my heart to the inevitable demise of mortals, but apparently, Wren had ripped the scab off that wound too.
I clapped him gently on the arm. “I have to go, but I’ll return after dark to finish the rest of the cleanup.”
Stavros waved a hand. “It’s fine, Milonos. You’ve done the work of ten men already this morning. We’ll take care of the rest.”
I inclined my head, trying to chase away the guilt. They didn’t need to clean up after our immortal squabbles; their lives shouldn’t be made harder by our presence. It was a topic on which Teron and I disagreed. He argued that our presence had created a protective circle around this small village, and perhaps the island as a whole. We enriched the town, not just financially but magically, and the olive crops around here were some of the most bountiful on the island. We provided protection and medical aid to the town’s residents, and since many made it to well over a century in age, possibly longevity.
For hundreds of years, we’d been silent guardians. Now, it was a time of turmoil, and they would have to decide if the boons were worth it.
But that was a discussion Demke would have to have with the town leaders. My job was to find the woman I was bonded to, and make sure she didn’t hate me for lying to her by omission. Cy trotted along beside me, and I was insanely surprised when he walked through the wall gate too.
Demke had never let anyone from the Greek Pantheon into the compound, not in the entire history of this stronghold. Not even Cy, who we’d lived in harmony with for a relatively long time. It had been the place we’d retreated to when we needed to lick our wounds after the great battle, and it was a strictly No Greek Mythic zone.
There were dogs stretched out all over the courtyard, some with all four legs in the air, exhausted and asleep, and some with various injuries, wrapped and tended, who were sleeping fitfully as they healed. They’d been great out there, though I was pretty sure one of Cy’s abilities was to turn even the most genial pup into a battle hound.
If you looked at this pack right now, you’d never suspect it. One was actually dragging its ass across the packed dirt of the courtyard. I made a mental note that we should get dewormer in bulk. I knew my bond; I knew she’d want to take care of this insane hoard of animals.
As if my thoughts had summoned her from the chaos, she appeared. My breath stuttered in my chest. She was okay. I knew that; they’d all told me so. But it was different, seeing her with my own two eyes, doing a visual inspection of her entire self to make sure she wasn’t hurt. I strode across the distance between us, my stride long enough that Cy had to trot to keep up.
When I made it to her, I dropped to my knees, wrapping my arms around her waist. It was awkward with the bulge of her stomach, my head stopping just under her breasts. We didn’t say anything, but when she stroked her fingers through my hair, something relaxed inside me. The anger that had been coiled tightly inside my chest just let go beneath her soft touch.
“I’m sorry.”
I felt her sigh leave her chest beneath my cheek. “I know.”
She didn’t say she forgave me, and I knew it wouldn’t be that easy. We’d broken her trust, though I doubted Demke would see it that way. But I would work to regain it, and if I had to do it on my knees the entire time, I would.
I looked up to see her frowning down at me. “You’re okay?” Her fingers traced over the raw cut on my cheek. I’d caught a stray Verserpent claw, but I was fine.
“Yes, love.”
She nodded, but the frown didn’t leave her face. “Good.”
There were lines of exhaustion around her face, and worry once again flooded my veins. This had been too much, and I hated that there was nothing I could do to shelter her from it. Nothing more than I was already doing right now, I mean. Logic told me that it would be worse after the babies arrived, and I vowed that I’d be there to support her through it all.
I stood slowly so I didn’t lose the closeness between us. “Let me take you to bed.” She opened her mouth to protest, but I quickly covered it with a finger. “Not like that. I will tuck you in and come back to the cleaning effort.” I wrapped my arms around her, and she rested her head against my heart with another heavy sigh. “You’re tired; I can feel it. I can read it on your face. You need to sleep off this shitshow, and then I’ll run you a warm bath.” Kissing the top of her head, I breathed her in, reassuring the beast that lived in my soul that she was indeed okay. “We will protect you always. You don’t have to worry about that.”
She huffed an annoyed sound. “Like it’s that easy.”
Still, she didn’t protest as I led her away from the crowded courtyard, back up to her rooms, which were thankfully untouched. I helped her undress, finding one of Néit’s big t-shirts to help pull over her head. She was already fading into exhaustion.
Tucking her in, I kissed her head. “I’ll make it that easy. No one is ever getting that close again,” I whispered against her cheek, but her eyes were already fluttering closed.
Making sure her curtains were closed to block out the mid-afternoon light, I walked back out into the hall. Fortunately, Hades and Persephone had returned to the Underworld, after closing off the Hell pit in Demke’s private courtyard. The King of the Underworld made my skin crawl, but not because he was creepy. Though the moon-like paleness of his skin was kinda spooky, and if he turned a certain direction, it was like you could see the bones beneath his flesh.
No, Hades weirded me out because he was so powerful. His power was like a physical force that whispered ominously around you, a promise of what he could do to you if you pissed him off. He was generally good-natured, for an overpowered Mythic, and I suspected that was only because the enemies of your enemy were your friends, or whatever the quote was. I didn’t have to see his rage to know it was terrifying, however.
The Valkyries were also gone, and so the house had returned to mostly normal. If you didn’t count all the dogs. Or the fact that Cy was inside the walls.
Demke walked out of his room, and I clenched my fists. I’d worshiped this man once, blindly following his rules and his edicts as if they were coming from the very mouth of the Goddess herself. I would’ve never thought I’d ever manhandle him and shake him.
We stared at each other, and I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t sorry; I wanted to shake him still.
I hated the ill feelings between us, though. He had always been my lighthouse in the immortal world, and it was hard to navigate without him. If he decided to be pissed by the fact I’d basically flung him around like a rag doll, would he turn my brothers against me?
Even as I thought it, I knew that it wouldn’t be that easy. Erus and Tryp were long past the worshipful stage, and we all had our own minds and hearts. If it came down to splitting the group, the Genii would come with me, I was sure of it.
Demke shook his head. “Stop looking so panicked, Milonos. I deserved that shaking and a lot more. You were correct—I put her in danger with my secrets. I won’t make the same mistake again.”
Relief whooshed out of me on a long breath. I hated holding that anger inside me. I stepped forward and grabbed him up in my arms, hugging him tight. I didn’t say anything else, just squeezed him for a few seconds until his free arm came up and patted me on the back.
“It will all be okay.” He stepped away, and I did too, running my fingers roughly through my hair.
“I’m sorry for handling you so disrespectfully.”
He nodded. “I’m sorry I earned such disrespect. We have more important things to focus on right now, however.”
Like what we were going to do about the Mythics who were willing to do anything to kill the woman I’d fallen head over heels in love with.