Zeus fucking made me break my word, and I was furious.
I let out a little growl. I could see the red swirling around me. Maybe that was my anger. I wanted it to grow. I wanted it to consume me until I just became it and destroyed everyone in Olympus. I gave in to it and moved towards it.
Then it just stopped.
Everyone was beaming at me.
Did I do it?
Chapter 2
Demos
S
he was the loveliest thing I’d ever laid eyes on.And she had wings like me.River’s demonic form was glorious. Pavlina had dressed her. I tolerated the spider a little better now, but even I could admit she had excellent taste in clothing and was talented with her sewing machine.
River stood a lot taller now. She was closer to six feet tall now. She was dressed in all black leather because that’s just what Pavlina did. Her beautiful face was gone and replaced with a sleek black cat’s head. Deadly claws had replaced River’s hands. I didn’t like cats on a good day, but River just totally owned it.
That wasn’t what had me gaping at her. They weren’t feathered like mine. She had these leathery black wings that had sprouted from her back, and I was already thinking about all the possibilities when we both could fly.
I walked over and ran a finger down the spine of her wings.
“Do they work? Give them a flap.”
She wasn’t used to this like we were. She tried to talk with the cat’s head and ended up letting out this considerable yowl. I was glad Cerberus had no interest in chasing cats because if he hurt her, I’d have to hurt him back. And Hades was still mad at me I’d completely set my bedroom on fire. I still didn’t regret it, but he was still pissed. Probably because I wasn’t sorry. Cerberus just cocked all three of his heads at her like he didn’t know what to do with her.
Barbatos was beaming like a proud father. I didn’t know the first thing about demonic forms and what they had in Hell, but as far as monsters went, she was pretty fucking impressive.
“I justknewany child of mine would be blessed when it came to their demonic form. You’d put several dukes in Hell to shame, River.”
“That is pretty badass,” Charley yawned.
I liked Charley, but she always had this ability to look utterly bored while she was doing all this amazing magic, and when she was done, she was going to curl up right there on the floor and take a nap. She was also pretty twisted in a way I could appreciate. She wasn’t as psycho as Solron, but I knew if I pissed her off and she directed her magic at me, I’d probably be walking around with my dick on my forehead.
“That’s hot,” Pavlina said. “I’ve always loved cats.”
That was true. And Pavlina couldn’t like the sweet cats either. When she wanted a new pet, she’d always go to the shelter and pick the meanest one that no one else wanted. They’d eventually bond with Pavlina, but they hated everyone else. They would randomly attack all over the castle until Hades told her she couldn’t keep her pets here anymore because they were upsetting Cerberus.
Tryphon couldn’t keep his tentacles to himself around River. I didn’t want those slimy things anywhere near me, but she didn’t seem to mind. He wrapped one around her waist and gave her a little squeeze.
“You’re the Monster Whisperer, River. Talk to us the way you did when we were trapped. You won’t be able to use words like that. I know it’s strange at first.”
That was when I really looked into her eyes. They were now red with slits down the middle, but River looked utterly terrified. I should have known. I was born this way, but I imagine every single monster in the Underworld went through this the first time they changed. I needed to be there for her.
Stupid Kimon. He was closer and got his arms around her before I could.
“It’s okay, baby bird. You’re magnificent. You’ve got teeth, claws, and you can even fly.”
“I’ll teach you how to fly,” I said.
I puffed my chest out and let my ego soar. Kimon, Tryphon, and Pavlina brought things to the table that weren’t in my DNA to do. I’d never been able to pull off Tryphon’s ethereal calm. I’d never be as sweet as Kimon. I’d never be able to relate to River the way Pavlina could because I wasn’t a woman.
But I was two for two with matching abilities I could help her with making her stronger. Yeah, I was a selfish bastard, but it meant I got to have her to myself for a little while. Teaching her how to use her fire was how I slowly got over my fear of this strange creature in the Underworld. Teaching her to fly would just bring us even closer.
I spent a lot of time alienating people because there just weren’t many I found worthy of my time. They got on my nerves, and I wanted them to go as far away from me as possible. Aside from Pavlina, it wasn’t like that with my team, and it definitely wasn’t like that with River. I wanted her as close to me as possible, and that had honestly never happened to me before.
I wasn’t in love with the nymph I thought cheated on me with Pavlina. She didn’t break my heart or anything. She got on my nerves, and I was tiring of her, to be honest. I think I was more pissed off that she dared step out on me with someone else when she had a phoenix in her bed.
