Chapter 15 Hektor #2
“She told them you were an eccentric foreign billionaire and you had never been to a zoo.” She smirked. “That, and that you’re making a huge donation to the zoo. That’s coming out of your hoard, by the way.”
Hektor supposed it was a small price to pay. “How much?”
“Let’s just say they’re going to name an entire section after you. Just hope that they accept gold bars.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she let out a huff. “But really, Hektor? What were you thinking?”
“I just wanted to do this for you.”
“For me?” she said, incredulous. “What does breaking into the zoo’s aviary and getting my father arrested have to do with me?”
“I just wanted to do something for you.” Slipping his hand inside his jacket, he pulled out his prize—a single feather with a long quill lined with iridescent gold and green barbs, all coming together at the top to form a single blue eye.
“A peacock feather?”
“Yes. Unfortunately, the Upperworld doesn’t have phoenixes, so I had to make do with a peacock.”
“What the hell do you need a peacock feather for in the first place?”
“To win you back, of course. I am performing the Final Tasks.”
Zara’s eyebrows drew together. “I’m still confused.”
“Hektor,” Roberto interrupted. “You explained the Final Tasks to me and Pam, but you haven’t told Zara yet.”
“Oh. Right.” He turned to her. “Zara, I told you, I came here to ask your forgiveness and to win you back. But, as your mother had said, words mean very little and I must take action. So, I am going to perform the Final Tasks for you. These are the things a Drakkon must do for his mate to prove himself worthy of her.”
Tentatively, he drew closer to her. While he was tempted to reach out and touch her, he restrained himself. Instead, he offered her the feather.
“The first task is to go into the enchanted forest and find a phoenix, right before it burns and turns to ash. This process could take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. When it rises up again, you must pick out one of its feathers before it flies away. This feather symbolizes a new beginning, a new future where you are no longer just an ‘I’ but ‘we.’ Two souls becoming one.” He twirled the feather.
“Since I could not find a phoenix here in the Upperworld, I chose your most beautiful bird.”
Silence, loaded and heavy, stretched between them as her gaze remained on the feather.
“I have never performed these tasks for any other woman, Zara,” he said. “Only you. And should I fail, believe me, I will never attempt them again.”
He waited with baited breath for her response. Unfortunately, before she could say anything, a booming voice echoed from behind.
“What the hell do you think this is? A social club?” It was the police officer who had released them. “I said you were free to go. Now get the hell outta here.”
“Of course, Officer,” Roberto said as he dragged them toward the door and out of the precinct. “Well, I’m glad to be out of there.”
“Um, yeah,” Zara mumbled. “I should go pick up mom at the zoo. We only took one car.” Without another word, she spun around and sprinted across the parking lot.
Roberto clucked his tongue. “I’m sorry, Hektor.”
“Sorry? Why so?”
He nodded at the peacock feather. “She didn’t take the feather.”
“This? Oh no, the female doesn’t need to take the feather.”
“She doesn’t? Then why take it in the first place?” He cocked his head to the side. “Did you mean what you said, about the two souls becoming one?”
“Of course I do, but the phoenix feather serves as a reminder for the Drakkon.” Carefully, he tucked the feather into his jacket, laying it right over his heart.
“I am reborn, not just as Hektor, but as the mate of Zara Chura and the father of our future offspring. From now on, they will be the most important people in the world, above my own life and my hoard.”
His eyes continued to track Zara as she hopped into her car and drove off, never taking his gaze off the vehicle until it disappeared in the distance.
For the first time in a long while, hope sparked in him.
But, the road ahead remained uncertain.
“I must prepare for the next task,” he announced. “I will need your assistance once again, Roberto.”
“What is it? Nothing criminal I hope?”
He winced inwardly at the reminder of his folly, but he continued. “Seeing as you take the protection of wild animals in the Upperworld seriously, the second task may prove to be an even bigger challenge.”
“Why don’t you tell me, in detail this time, what it is and then maybe we can figure something out.”
“Alright. The second task is a test of strength. I must find a wild beast to wrestle.”
Roberto scratched at his head. “Oh, that is a challenge. Hmm…Oh, I know!” He snapped his fingers. “I know where you can wrestle a beast.”
“There is such a place here in the Upperworld?”
“Yes.”
“And we won’t get arrested for it?”
“Nope.” Roberto laughed. “You might even get a few cheers.”
“Are you sure this will work?”
“You need to subdue a beast, right?” Roberto winked at him.
Hektor looked around nervously, the din from the crowd gnawing at his nerves.
The bright lights overhead nearly blinded him, and the artificial smoke from the fog machines made his eyes water.
The bass from the music vibrating out of giant speakers set his teeth rattling, and his nose protested at the smell of the dozens of unwashed bodies coming from the spectators.
According to Roberto, this was normal in this sport they called ‘professional wrestling.’
He wondered what was professional about wearing shiny tight shorts and boots.
“When our ancestors set forth the Final Tasks, I doubt this is what they had in mind. “
“But it does follow the letter of the law, if not the spirit. Look,” he nodded across the ring. “There’s your beast!”
Ding ding ding!
“Welcome to the NMA Pro Wrestling Challenger’s Night!” the man in the middle of the ring—the announcer, Roberto explained—greeted, sending the crowd into a frenzy. “As you know, once a year, we invite local talent to come and show us what they got by taking on our champions!”
The audience once again reacted in a vociferous chorus of cheers, chants, stomping, and jeers.
“Our first challenger of the night, hailing from the distant land of Drakkoria, Hektor “The Dragon” Jones!”
“You told them where I was from?” he exclaimed.
Roberto brushed him off. “It’s all part of your character and backstory. The crowd will love it. Look! Here comes your beast!”
“And his opponent for tonight,” the announcer continued. “Our former champion, Edgar ‘The Brazen Beast’ Calaway!”
It didn’t seem possible, but the noise from the audience grew even louder and more boisterous.
The overhead spotlights swung around the arena before landing on the curtain covering the entrance to the backstage.
When the first electric notes of a song blasted through the speakers, the noise from the audience reached even greater heights.
The curtains parted and a tall, hulking figure dressed in animal print pants and boots sauntered out, playing to the crowd as they greeted him with enthusiasm that could have brought the roof down. As he made his way to the ring, Hektor swallowed, hard.
Could he really do this?
He had to.
“Is Zara in the audience?” He squinted, attempting to scan the crowd, but the lights continued to blind him and obscure his vision.
“Yes, Pam assured me they’d be here, though the gods only know how she got Zara to come.” Roberto pushed him forward. “Now, go fight him!”
Hektor staggered forward, colliding into Calaway and he slammed into Hektor, chest first. The force of it and his lack of preparation knocked Hektor backward, but he quickly regained his footing.
The man in a black and white striped shirt—the referee, according to Roberto—stepped in between them, blew a whistle, and pushed them away from each other.
Focus.
Calaway was a mountain of a man, but he was no match for a Drakkon. Aphrodite had only glamoured his appearance, but not his strength or power. Also, he was trained in hand-to-hand combat as an enforcer, so beating Calaway would be easy.
Too easy.
And that was the problem.
Hektor had never fought a human before. He was afraid that he might use too much strength and crush Calaway like an overripe babaco fruit.
It would make a horrific ending to the match, not to mention, a great big mess.
All I have to do is subdue him for three counts, and I win.
The referee gestured for them to come together. The bell rang three times again, signaling that the match began, and stepped away.
Hektor and his opponent circled each other, biding their time. He was obviously a professional, but Hektor knew making the first move would be a mistake. However, they couldn’t just move around each other forever.
I’m stronger and faster, I can end this quickly.
Then he could show Zara that he was worthy of her.
That he could protect her and their children from any danger.
So, he lunged forward without any real plan or strategy, just hoping to catch Calway by surprise. But Calaway seized him instead, his massive arms wrapping around him before using his own weight and momentum to plow Hektor down on the mat.
Stars burst in his vision as the back of his head slammed on the ground. The crowd went wild.
I underestimated him.
Groaning, he scrambled to his feet.
He would not make the same mistake again.
With a loud cry, Hektor surged forward again, this time, using more of his strength. It was Calaway who was stunned this time and they both crashed down on the mat.
The two of them clashed like gladiators of old, and the audience was whipped into a frenzy.
Hektor still held back his true strength, but Calaway still managed to pin him down twice, but thankfully not long enough.
He was also a slippery son of a chitine, managing to escape Hektor’s grasp a few times.