Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
APHRODITE
L ong shadows flickered and danced ominously on the porch as sweat trickled down my forehead. My father stood before me, his eyes wide with terror, pleading for his life, but his words fell on deaf ears. Hatred burned within me, a fire fueled by years of pain and betrayal.
Every fiber of my being screamed for retribution, for justice to be served. My finger tightened on the trigger, the weight of anger and vengeance pressing down on me hard. The lines between right and wrong had blurred, lost in the fury that consumed me.
The glass windowpanes behind me shattered from the heat of the flames, but it didn’t break my focus. The power I had summoned from deep within held firm, a dark thrill coursing through me as I faced the man who had caused so much suffering. He was supposed to be my father, but he was nothing more than an enemy.
His gaze hardened into a venomous sneer as he taunted, “You won’t do it, Aphrodite. You’re weak, just like your mother.” But his words only fueled my resolve.
The crackling flames and the screams echoing around us seemed to mock me, much like the man standing before me .
Ares shouted at my side, “Let me do it, Aphrodite—You can come back from this!”
But my eyes stayed glued to my father.
Ouranos raised his hands with a derisive grin, positioning them on either side of his chest. I recalled the countless horrors he had inflicted on both me and my brother over the years.
His tyranny had tainted the whole city, leaving it in ruins. He always found new ways to bring destruction, slithering through like a serpent seeking its prey.
As I stared at him, I felt the last shreds of any lingering kindness or mercy drain away. I was done being a victim. It was time to face him, to put an end to his reign of terror, and to reclaim the strength that he had tried so hard to crush
I was no longer a pawn on his chessboard.
I was a queen.
Checkmate.
“Ready to face your end, old man?” I snarled, my voice cold and dripping with malice. My finger steadied on the trigger, aimed straight at his heart.
Ouranos stepped closer, his gaze piercing. “Look at you,” He paused with his hands still raised on either side of his chest in mock surrender. “You truly are my daughter. That darkness lurking within you—that’s me. You may have tried to keep it hidden all these years, but I see it hiding just beneath the surface, waiting for its moment to emerge.” A smirk of arrogance twisted his lips as he spoke.
“Don’t listen to him, Aphrodite,” Ares pleaded. But my gaze remained fixated on my father, refusing to let him slip away again.
The air was heavy with my own regret and anguish.
Ouranos’s presence was like a noose tightening around my neck. Every word he uttered left a permanent mark on my soul, tattoos of torment etched into my very being. Deep within, I knew that if he drew breath, I could never be free.
I squeezed the trigger .
The evil grin on my father’s face disintegrated as the bullet sliced through the air.
My heart pounded as the bullet hit its target.
I tried to hold onto the gun, but it slipped from my hands. Ares rushed toward me, but amidst the surrounding chaos, my gaze remained locked on my father. His bullet wound bled profusely as he sank to his knees, and I watched as his soul seemed to drift away like smoke rising from the flames. Time itself seemed to stand still as his eyes glazed over, and he keeled over, his face looking up toward the heavens.
Ouranos was dead. I had shot him straight through his heart.
I killed my father.
Loud, piercing screams attacked me from within as my body trembled.
Ares tried to hold onto my face; He spoke, but all I heard was sirens in the distance. Pushing out of Ares’s hold, I went to kneel next to my father, my hands shaking. I spoke with authority, “I will never be your victim again. May you rot in hell.”
As I stood and turned to face Ares, flames engulfed the clubhouse behind me. My eyes burned. Tears welled in my vision. I knew we had to move quickly, but in that moment, I finally felt like a part of my soul had a semblance of release. I reached for Ares, seeking solace in his presence as the inferno raged on around us.
“I’m sorry, Aphrodite” Ares whispered as he pulled me into a comforting embrace, planting a kiss on my forehead. He’d risked it all, embracing the darkness, to be the ruthless protector I knew he could be.
“You did everything you could, Ares,” I said against his chest, his warmth soothing the sorrows that clung to me.
Over Ares’ shoulder, a figure emerged from the darkness. Tall and imposing, with a presence that sent shivers down my spine. His icy blue eyes pierced the darkness with an eerie luminescence. Shadows clung to his form, merging with the night. As he walked into the light, his face revealed itself, and a wave of dread washed over me .
Hephaestus.
He charged toward us, his limp prominent, covered in blood and debris. Each step he took seemed to echo with the weight of his malevolent plans. He had orchestrated the very nightmare we were living in. His eyes locked on Ares, a chilling focus that spoke of unresolved vendettas and a darkness that refused to die.
“This is my fight,” Ares growled, his voice harsh and unyielding. He spun on Hephaestus, fire in his eyes. “You did this!” he roared at his brother.
Hephaestus sneered back; his face twisted with rage.
“This club has always been a joke!” He roared, his voice echoing with raw, bitter anger. His eyes blazed with a fire that matched the inferno consuming the clubhouse behind him. “You all know damn well I was the one who deserved to be president. Zeus screwed up, didn’t see the real threat coming. While he was busy chasing after his own glory, Ouranos was plotting our downfall.” Hephaestus’s gaze swept over the chaos, his face twisted with rage and vindication.
“I had to step up because no one else had the balls to see the danger for what it was. Ouranos was gunning for us from the shadows, and I took charge to protect what was left. He made me do this,” he said, gesturing towards the burning wreckage of the clubhouse.
His voice dropped to a menacing growl, each word dripping with dark satisfaction. “After our wedding, I planned to finish what I started. I was going to kill Aphrodite, make her pay for every single thing Ouranos took from us. I was going to make sure that her death was a fitting tribute to the chaos and ruin that Ouranos has wrought upon our lives.”
I was stunned by his words, unable to grasp the depth of his depravity. My eyes shifted to Ares, whose face was a mask of shock and revulsion as the horrifying truth was laid bare.
Hephaestus continued, his rage almost palpable, “He has forced us into the darkest corner of the city, a place so grim it’s as if we were buried alive. He wanted to keep us hidden, silenced, and forgotten, terrified of the power we could unleash. Keeping us in the shadows was his way of maintaining control, of ensuring we’d never rise against him. And I’m fucking done with it! He shattered everything we built—left us to rot and suffer in the muck! It was time to settle the score, to drag him into the light and make him pay for every ounce of suffering he’s inflicted!” Anger seethed from Hephaestus as he revealed his plans.
“No, Hephaestus—You are addicted to power. Being second best was never good enough for you. You are no different than Ouranos.” Ares snapped back, his anger piercing through the crackle of flames and the roar of exploding motorcycles. We were going to be swallowed up if we didn’t get out soon.
“We have to go, Ares!” I cried out as I reached for his hand, but he pulled away, facing his brother.
“I will not let you destroy what is left of us!” Ares’s voice cut through the chaos, firm and unwavering. His eyes blazed with fierce determination as he confronted Hephaestus, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air. “I’ve always been the warrior of this family—the one who stands against the darkness that threatens us. This isn’t just about revenge; it’s about justice for everything Olympus has lost.”
He took a step forward, his form radiating a potent mix of defiance and resolve. “You think you can unravel everything we’ve built, that you can burn our legacy to the ground? I will not stand by while you trample on our honor. No matter the cost, no matter the bloodshed, I will see those who’ve wronged us brought to their knees. This ends now.”
Ares’s movements were swift and decisive. He aimed the gun at Hephaestus before his opponent had a chance to react. With a cold, deliberate pull of the trigger, the shot shattered through Hephaestus’s skull, execution style, and he collapsed to the ground.
Ares stood over him, his hand lowering slowly as he stared down at his brother’s lifeless body. "You were better than this, brother," he said, his voice heavy with disappointment .
The smoke filled my lungs and my heartbeat faster from the fear of us being burned alive.
“Ares, we need to go!” I begged him, and he finally turned toward me. Grabbing my hand, we ran as hard as we could with whatever strength we had left in our body. I would not allow the darkness to win.
As we exited the building, we saw everyone standing at the edge of the compound while fire rescue and police created barricades for the public. Ares ran to Artie and embraced her, as Apollo and Hades watched on in disbelief. Athena was notably missing.
We searched for her, but she was nowhere to be found. “I need to go back,” Ares said as he let go of my hand. “I have to save my sister.”
“Wait, Ares, let the rescue team handle it! It’s too dangerous!” I screamed, my voice trembling with desperation. “Don’t go, please!”
“I have to save her,” he replied, his voice firm, his resolve unshakable.
Ares pressed his lips to mine in a brief, fierce kiss, then turned and bolted back into the burning clubhouse. Panic surged through me, and I tried to chase after him, but Hades grabbed me by the waist, holding me back. I struggled against his grip, my heart pounding in my chest as I watched Ares disappear into the roaring inferno. The flames swallowed him whole, and my heart sank, a crushing weight of fear and helplessness pressing down on me.
The seconds turned into minutes. I collapsed into Hades’s arms and cried, believing there was no way that Ares was going to make it through the fire and come out alive. The flames devoured the buildings that I had called home these past months. Hades and I stood together, watching the firefighters’ attempt to control the flames.
Two of them charged into the burning building. The flames roared, and smoke billowed.
Paramedics, equipped with oxygen masks hurried toward the building as well, ready to provide immediate medical help.
The police formed a human barricade, pushing us back to keep order and ensure safety. Frustrated by the distance, I strained my eyes to get a better look at the unfolding scene. From where I stood, I watched as firefighters pulled Ares from the building and laid him on a sturdy board. They quickly began administering oxygen.
Meanwhile, Athena stood nearby wrapped in a silver blanket, distressed, and watching the medical team work on her brother.
The paramedics gingerly lifted Ares onto a gurney and made their way toward the waiting ambulance. Athena trailed behind.
I was overwhelmed with helplessness. All I could do was brace myself for the moment I’d be able to hold his hand inside that ambulance, clinging to a desperate hope that this time, the chaos wouldn’t be enough to take him from me.
The police kept pushing us back, but I wasn’t about to be stopped. I shoved my way through the crowd, driven by a frantic need to reach Ares as they loaded him into the ambulance. Nothing was going to keep me from being by his side.
The ambulance rocked slightly as it sped through the city streets, its sirens piercing the night. I sat next to Ares, holding his hand, my heart pounding in my chest. He lay on the stretcher, eyes closed. His tattooed skin was pale, and his clothes were torn up and singed from the flames. The paramedics worked around us, their voices calm and efficient, but all I could focus on was his shallow breathing and the faint rise and fall of his chest.
I squeezed his hand, whispering words of encouragement and love, desperate to keep him tethered to the present, to me. “Come back to me, Ares.” I whispered as tears fell down my hot skin. The harsh fluorescent lights above us flickered, casting a surreal glow over the scene. I felt helpless, terrified, but I refused to let go. We were racing against time, and all I could do was hope and pray that we’d make it to the hospital in time to save him.
The drive felt like an eternity as I watched his heartrate drop. I squeezed his hand tight, kissing it fervently as I prayed to whomever was listening to me. Ares was all I had left in this world, and I couldn’t lose him.
“Come back to me,” I begged, my chest tightened with longing and desperation.
The ambulance stopped abruptly as we arrived at the hospital. They swung the door of the vehicle open, and two men came rushing for the stretcher.
I watched it all unfold as they proceeded to take my Ares away from me. Running behind them, I watched as they swept him away to the emergency room, leaving me standing alone, feeling my world crumble around me.