Chapter 19 Demons in the Dark
DEMONS IN THE DARK
ALEXIS
My heart dropped.
I hadn’t spoken to Patro and Achilles for a reason—the reason being betrayal of the highest order.
Lingering childhood abandonment issues aside, leaving a person alone with mutated monsters was simply unprofessional, even for cult members. No one has any class these days.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Charlie huffed on the floor, turning over in his pile of pink bedding.
“Stop,” I called out as quietly as I could. “People are resting.”
Helen mumbled into her pillow, unconsciously reaching for the bedazzled pink Beretta on her bedside table.
She wouldn’t shoot me in her sleep, right?
“I don’t care. Come out—or I’ll wake the room,” Patro threatened coldly from the other side of the door. “Now.”
He knocked again, louder.
Helen sat up and raised the gun—eyes still closed—and clicked off the safety.
Blanching, I quietly slid out of bed.
Poco woke up with a sleepy chirp. He climbed up onto my shoulder as I pulled a snoring Nyx out from under the pillow, and wrapped her around my neck.
“Go back to sleep, you stupid cow,” she hissed at me.
Hell perked up on the floor.
Helen mumbled in her sleep, waving the loaded weapon around the room before she pointed it directly at my forehead.
Oh nice.
I backed toward the door, tiptoeing around Charlie.
Fluffy Jr. was next to him whimpering in his sleep, and the large hump on his back was … quivering?
I leaned closer.
Patro rapped sharply. “Alexis—are you coming or not?” He sounded haughty and arrogant.
I miss when he was unconscious with a snapped neck.
Helen pointed the Beretta at the door, then she aimed it back at me. Apparently, her sleep self had decided I was the bigger threat.
A little flattered, but mostly afraid of imminent friendly fire, I slipped out into the candlelit hall with Hell following.
The door creaked shut behind us and I walked straight into an unmoving mass.
I looked up slowly.
Arms were crossed over a wide chest, an unlit cigarette hung from the grates of a muzzle. Achilles stood right outside the door, blocking me.
I stared at him and waited.
Neither of us moved.
Lungs turned to stone in my chest.
Titans screeched, talons sliced through my spine, humans sobbed, blood everywhere, suspended in the air above the city, “Domus.”
Weeks later, abject terror still left a bitter residue in my mouth. I understood why he did it, but something about the way Achilles hadn’t bothered to apologize set my teeth on edge, especially since he knew I would understand his signing. If anything, he acted like he was mad at me.
During workouts, I’d constantly find him glaring at the side of my face, glancing between me and Patro with open distaste.
“M-move,” I whispered.
A growl echoed from my feet, bones pressing against my leg as Hell tensed next to me protectively.
Achilles didn’t budge.
Hot resentment mounted. “Fuck you,” I signed, before I could stop myself.
He jerked, eyes flashing, then he raised his hand—I just barely stopped myself from flinching back.
The temperature in the hall increased as Achilles leaned toward me. “You should have told me you knew sign language.” His fingers moved, deliberate and accusatory.
It smelled like something was burning.
“And you,” I signed back slowly, “shouldn’t have left me to die.”
Achilles flinched. His hands bunched into fists, knuckles cracking.
He still didn’t apologize.
“Get the fuck away from me,” I signed jerkily. “Now.”
Leather cracked as his muzzle stretched, and Achilles finally stepped to the side, revealing Patro.
Candlelight danced over the sculpted planes of his perfect face; his emerald eyes were startlingly bright in the shadowy hall.
“What the h-hell are you doing?” I whispered, deeply unsettled by my standoff with Achilles.
Patro arched his eyebrow, dress pants and shirt impeccably pressed, hair perfectly coiffed. He was a superiority complex in the flesh.
“We’ve been trying to get you alone,” Patro said slowly. “But it’s been impossible lately—especially with Kharon at night.”
What about Karen?
I shook my head and focused on the problem at hand—Patro.
“What do you want?” I asked.
Patro’s lip curled as he looked me up and down.
The infamous courting gift—aka Kharon’s oversized skeleton sweatshirt, which I refused to give back or feel sorry about wearing because it was so cozy—hung to my knees, and the marble floor was chilly beneath my bare feet.
“Nice hat,” Patro snickered.
Poco hissed from where he sat, heavy, fluffy, and warm on the top of my head.
Patro muttered something about me being “ridiculous and hard to take seriously.”
I turned to go back inside—Achilles blocked me, again.
Poco pulled at my scalp nervously, and my spine prickled with warning.
“Wait.” Patro grabbed my arm and turned me to face him. “Please—we want to apologize … for Rome.” He looked at me pleadingly.
With a deep steadying breath, I met his gaze. “Achilles was always going to choose you.”
It was the truth.
Patro dragged his hands over his face. “No,” he said. “It’s not like … that.” LIAR was written across his knuckles. He couldn’t meet my eyes.
“It’s done,” I said. “I don’t want to talk about it.” There’s nothing more to say.
Patro dropped his hands.
“Leave me alone.”
“I can’t,” Patro whispered, like he was sorry.
I stepped back and bounced against Achilles’s unmoving chest.
Turning in a rush, I struggled to breathe.
Achilles raised his hands, as if dealing with a skittish animal, and moved to stand beside Patro.
“Our initial offer still stands,” Achilles signed, the end of his cigarette burning, smoke curling around his face.
A sharp pain stabbed behind my eyes. Is Augustus using his power right now?
“Do you accept?” Patro asked.
I looked between them with confusion. “What are you t-talking about?”
“We’ll help you.” Patro stepped closer, his icy scent contrasting with Achilles’s heat. His voice dropped to a low whisper. “Use your powers to … you know … break the marriage bond with your husbands.”
I stepped back, banging against the door.
“No way,” I blurted.
Why on earth would I want to do that?
You’re supposed to be getting revenge.
Not like that.
Patro sighed. “You’ll just almost kill them—just use your power and bring them to the brink.”
I shook my head.
“Kronos.” Patro raked his hands through his short curls, messing up their perfect placement. “Why are you always so difficult?”
Angry words gathered on the tip of my tongue, but they wouldn’t come out.
“Then we’ll do it for you,” Patro said. “Since you’re too afraid to do it yourself.”
“Leave m-me alone.”
Patro studied my face like he was searching for something.
Light flashed at my feet. I glanced down. The flames in Hell’s eyes were bright red, instead of their usual teal flame. What the heck?
Patro grabbed my arm gently. “This will just be a pinch,” he said. “It will all be okay, I promise.”
“What—”
Patro jabbed a needle with an Olympian vial into my skin, and the tube filled with scarlet. In a flash, he removed it, pocketing my blood. “You’re welcome. You’ll thank us.” He nodded like he was trying to convince himself.
Panic paralyzed me.
Poco hissed and swiped—Patro dodged his claw and backed away from me with Achilles at his side. Something that looked like regret glimmered in his eyes.
“I’ll make you pay for this.”
Patro smiled sadly. “All you have to do is give us a signal. We’re on your side.”
Hell growled, the sound filled with warning.
“I’m just trying to protect you,” Patro added. “By the way, Ceres is playing you. I can tell when someone is lying. You don’t know the danger you’re in and I can see she—”
“Don’t,” I signed, cutting him off. “Stay away from her.”
Everything was spiraling out of control.
Patro frowned. “I’m only trying to help you.”
Hell stalked toward him, bones flickering, serrated teeth bared.
“Drop dead,” I signed jerkily.
Achilles yanked a hurt-looking Patro behind him protectively.
Hell crouched low between us.
“You’re both cowards,” I signed.
Achilles held my gaze, unflinching, as they turned and disappeared into the shadows.
Gasping, I staggered into the silent room and climbed into bed.
Poco chirped mournfully.
He wrapped his little fluffy arms around my neck, and I hugged him back, my tears dripping into his fur.
Hell jumped up, resting a bony skull on my lap. “You … sad?”
I nodded.
Hell growled. “Me … kill.”
I shook my head no.
Nyx woke up around my neck with a yawn. “What did I miss?” she asked.
“Hell wants to murder people,” I whispered.
Poco chittered and curled up next to me, and Hell repositioned so he was resting on the bed at my feet.
Nyx huffed. “How does he feel about his own personal demise? Is he terrified of me?”
I picked up a sparkly pillow and crushed it against my face.
“Alexis, ask him for me,” Nyx hissed. “Ask him now.”
I silently screamed.