Chapter Twelve
Roux
The sun beat down on my face as we walked back to the portal.
There was a bitter taste in my mouth and a sinking feeling dragging my stomach down until it was somewhere beneath my feet, being trampled in the dirt.
The others were walking ahead of me, but they kept glancing back to check on me.
I appreciated that they were giving me space to wallow in my own misery, but when we got home, we all needed to talk.
We needed to figure out what to do with everything that was going on. Not to mention how we were supposed to wrangle all those creatures back into the Vault and figure out this God Killer fiasco.
I needed a drink. Or to run away. Maybe bury my head in the sand and hope for the best.
“Roux, wait up!”
I turned around to follow the sound of the shout and saw Raevyn floating to the ground with Apollo in tow.
They landed softly, their large black wings folding neatly behind them before disappearing.
Raevyn scooped me up into a large hug and pulled me in tight.
She’d come a long way from the shy, lost girl I’d first met.
Now she was a freaking Demi-God with necromancy skills and a group of guys that worshipped the ground she walked on.
I knew the Deathwatch pretty well, as they were always around Hades, but the two new guys I didn’t know well at all.
One was a Moroi who were like vampires but darker and more powerful—but I wouldn’t tell Magnus that—and then there was Apollo, who was pretty intimidating up close.
He had dark black hair that hung in his eyes, a face full of angular lines and an expression that made him look like he found the world wanting.
Except for when he looked at Raevyn, and all those harsh edges softened.
If it weren’t for that, I’d think the guy was a total cockgobbler, but he seemed to love Raevyn, so he couldn’t be all bad.
“How are you holding up?” she asked as Apollo wrapped an arm around her waist and tucked her back into his side.
“Honestly? I don’t know.” Which was pretty accurate. “I’m not sure what to make of anything at the moment.”
I felt unsure and unsteady, like I was waiting for something to come along and rip the floor from beneath my feet.
“I am sorry for the punishment you received,” Apollo said, his voice low and smoky. “If there is a boon in my power to grant, I will give it if you ask.”
Well, that was handy to know, but why? I didn’t know the guy. “Just like that?”
“Yes,” he said with a curt nod. “You are important to Raevyn; that means you are important to me.”
Raevyn melted against him and placed a kiss on his cheek. Gods, they were cute together.
“How are things with the soul collecting going?” I asked, wanting to change the subject so I could think about anything other than the pile of crap I’d just been handed.
“They’re going okay,” Raevyn said, brushing her lilac hair out of her face. “We seem to be doing what is asked of us.”
The Deathwatch were the ones looking after collecting the trickier souls topside whilst Hades’ Royal Guard took on the standard collections during the investigation against Thane.
Which was another thing I needed to figure out… Would the Guild close the investigation because it was clear now it wasn’t Thane? And I still wasn’t sure what was going to happen to Atticus and his indenture to the Guild now that he was technically dead and bound to Death.
“That’s good,” I muttered, my heart not really in the conversation.
“We did have a tricky couple the other day; neither of them would come with us, and they put up a hell of a fight,” Raevyn said with a chuckle.
Apollo hummed in agreement. “They certainly did. I’ve never seen Nox so happy.”
I snorted. Nox was definitely at his happiest when violence was on the cards, but I was glad things were going smoothly for them. Even if I was a little jealous it wasn’t me doing the soul catching. I missed it. I missed feeling part of the life cycle, and a sense of uselessness crept into my mind.
“Hey,” Raevyn said as she took a step closer and placed her hand on my arm. “We all know this is temporary. You’ll be back to reaping souls soon, I know it.”
“Hopefully,” I said, but it didn’t feel like it at the moment. All I had were problems and struggles and puzzle pieces that didn’t fit together.
“You do know there are seven guys staring at you, don’t you?” Raevyn said with a concerned glance over my shoulder.
I didn’t want to look. “Like death stares? Or…”
She snorted. “More like ‘I want to get her home and away from the world’ stares. They look like they want to keep you all to themselves.”
“It’s impressive,” Apollo added with a smirk. “A Primordial, two Gods, a King, a—”
“Yes, I know who they are,” I cut in, making him chuckle. Even Raevyn smiled. “But for your information, the only two that are mine are Atticus and Hades.”
I hadn’t figured the rest of them out yet.
“Nonetheless, Roux, I don’t think it will be long before they are more.
” Raevyn waggled her eyebrows at me, and I gave in and looked at the guys.
She’d been right. They were staring at me fiercely and watching my every move.
The fact that they were so concerned over my wellbeing was rather comforting.
And hot.
“I’d better get going,” I mumbled, knowing it wouldn’t be long before the others dragged me away.
“Come on, pet,” Apollo said softly. “We also need to go. We have to get back to Maleficavae to help find those witches.”
My head snapped up at that. “What?”
“Oh, there’s been a spate of witches going missing across a handful of covens in Witch Country. My old coven sisters reached out for help,” Raevyn said, her brows pinched in a frown and sadness woven into her words. “Why?”
“Shit.” I ran my hands through my hair, my mind racing a thousand miles a minute.
“What is it?” Apollo asked. “Why does this matter to you?”
“I don’t know how it all fits, but it matters,” I said before turning and heading back to the guys.
“Roux, wait!” Raevyn shouted, perplexed. “What do you mean?”
“When it makes sense, I’ll call you!” I shouted back, adrenaline already running through my system. I skidded to a halt by their little huddle, narrowly avoiding slamming into Atticus.
“Whoa there, kitten,” he said, a small smirk curling his mouth. “Slow down.”
“Witches are missing,” I blurted, cutting him off.
“What?” Hades said, stepping forward.
I nodded as I caught my breath. “Raevyn says a few have gone missing in Witch Country across a couple of covens.”
“This is bad, right?” Rafe said, glancing around our little circle.
“It’s not exactly good,” Hades quipped, his dark eyes sparking fire.
“Do you need Witches to create a God Killer?” I asked.
“Hush,” Erebus snapped. “Not here.”
“He’s right,” Hades grimaced. “We need somewhere safe to discuss this further.”
I grinned. “I know just the place.”
The Mansion of Night was just as we’d left it. The large black castle was tucked away in the forest by the river Styx, hidden behind several wards and far away from any prying eyes. A perfect little hiding spot just for us.
“So, what are we going to do about the God Killer problem?” I said as we all took a seat around the ridiculously large dining table.
It was a dark wood, like it had been charred, with black wooden chairs with backs styled like cathedral windows.
It was a beautiful set of furniture and looked like it could comfortably fit twenty people.
“That’s if it’s even possible,” Thane said, running his hand through his golden curls and sending them in different directions. If I didn’t know better, I’d guess the guy was fracturing. He was always so stiff and put together that seeing him like this was worrying me.
“Hades, you mentioned the legend of the God Killer. For those of us who aren’t as old as dirt, would you care to share the story?” Magnus asked. He sat opposite me between the twins, and Rafe poked him in the side. “What was that for?”
“Don’t be rude,” Rafe chided softly, but his eyes held Magnus’ with a fierceness that had a shiver running up my spine.
“Sorry,” Magnus replied, dropping his gaze to the floor.
Hades’ eyebrow quirked in amusement as he sat in the chair next to mine. “Legend says the last time anyone tried to create a God Killer was as a rebellion against Zeus.”
“Why am I not surprised?” I said with an eye roll.
Hades sent me the flattest look he could muster before continuing.
“It was Hera who led the revolt. She was fed up with her husband’s shenanigans, so she decided to teach him a lesson.
There was talk that she reached out to a mortal High Priestess, and they combined the life essence of various deities and supernatural creatures to create something that could wipe out even a God. ”
“What was it?” Atticus asked as he lounged back in his chair. “A person or object?”
“I don’t know,” Hades said with a shrug. “I don’t know if it was ever made, and Hera didn’t win.”
“That she did not,” Erebus said darkly. He sat at the top of the table staring at the empty chair opposite him, but it didn’t look like he was really seeing it.
I leant forwards across the table and wrapped my hand around his forearm. “What happened to her?”
He flinched as I touched him, and I instantly pulled my hand away. Cool fingers curled around mine, halting my retreat. “Zeus chained her to the sky until she vowed never to rebel against him again.”
Erebus stared deep into my eyes, like he was searching for something.
Maybe for some trace of her, of the woman he loved.
Something dark churned in my chest. It was cold, and it grew colder the longer he stared at me.
The corner of his mouth tipped up into a smile.
Could he feel it too? The chill? The darkness?
“Asteri, I feel you…”
His hand gripped me harder, digging his long fingers into my palm and wrist.
The coldness seeped across my shoulders and up my neck. Something stirred at the back of my mind. A memory I’d long forgotten.
Silken sheets.
Tangled limbs.
Heat.
Shadows.
A caress, a bite, a nip, hot breath.
Mouths touching, heat rising, skin burning until—
A gasp rushed out my mouth as my core tightened unexpectedly and pleasure exploded through my body.
Heat burnt in Erebus’ dark red eyes, making them sparkle like rubies in the sun.
“Nyx,” he whispered, the name a prayer. A goddamn plea.
But as soon as he said her name, the coldness faded, leaving me with a flush that spread across my cheeks.
I’d just orgasmed.
In a room full of people.
Because of a memory. One that wasn’t even mine.
“What the hell just happened?” Rayne growled, standing from his seat and getting ready to strike. His pupils had darkened and overtaken the blue of his eyes.
“She’s in there somewhere,” Erebus said, his voice a low whisper that felt like a rasp over my sensitive skin. “She remembers.”
“Roux?” Atticus asked.
I pulled my hand away from Erebus, shaken to my core over what just happened. Was it Nyx? Or was it him playing with my mind?
“I remember nothing,” I said with a snarl as I pulled away from Erebus. Pain flashed through his eyes, but I looked away from him. I had to. Fear had me worrying that the Primordial might just be right, and I wasn’t ready to face, or accept, that truth.
“I’m fine.” I wasn’t, but we had bigger problems, and I’d have to wait to have a little chat with Erebus.
“If you say so,” Atticus added as he sat back in his chair and glanced at Hades. “If we aren’t sure the God Killer was ever made before, how can we be certain it’s possible now?”
“We can’t be,” Hades said as he stood from his chair. Wordlessly, he walked over to me, scooped me up and then sat back down with me on his lap. There were a few raised eyebrows, but nobody said anything.
Hades hummed softly as I settled my weight onto him, wriggling around until I was comfortable. His warmth chased away the coldness left behind by Erebus’ touch until I felt like I was wrapped up in a blanket of embers.
Thane slammed his fist down on the table. “It can’t be possible!”
“Why?” Rafe asked, confusion tugging at his dark brows.
Thane’s blue eyes were dark and turbulent, like storms over the ocean. “Because if there is such a thing as a God Killer, it throws into question my purpose and significance, and if I don’t exist, then what happens to the world?”