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And now I’m going to pay with my life.
22
Hadrion
The moment he arrived in my city, near my home and my people, I knew. Louder in my mind than the key, only the echo of holy blood calling to holy blood could jerk me out of my melancholy like that. I was out of the club and tearing down the road, knocking people over as I ran flat out.
Not every god is good, not every celestial being has human’s best interests at heart. This god thinks he and I walk hand in hand with how we treat humans, but we do not.
For thousands of years, he sent human souls to me in tatters, ripped and ruined, and it was up to me to put them back together.
And now he’s going after the one mortal I will never let him touch.
His roar fills the street, booming toward me, and I know exactly who it is, and why he’s here.
And Katy is in the path of his destruction.
She’s running away from him, her feet carrying her faster than I’ve ever seen her move, and it’s not fast enough. Cyrus is at her heels, pushing her onward, his eyes wide. But it’s not him she’s running from.
I race down the street, a thousand curses in my mouth, ready to rain down on the one who has dared to attack her.
And he’s following the two of them, his eyes burning with a fury that matches mine.
She’s almost to me, but I know that won’t save her.
She’s not going to make it.
She’s going to die, right here, in front of me.
Katy, Katy, my Katy, who smells of lavender and summer sunshine, who has made my heart ache, who I have yearned for, who is now doomed.
But not if I can stop it.
I run faster, my legs pumping, and there’s a howl from down the street, and a flash of movement, and a scream, and I’m not going to make it, not going to be in time, but I have to be.
Because she’s my responsibility, and if I let her die, then what’s the point of it all? Why have I fought for my kingdom, for the eternal peace of mortals, if I let her die?
Another roar, and I’m there, and the beast is there, and I can see him, his eyes blazing, his claws gleaming in the dark, his breath hot and wet.
“Run, Katy!” I shout at her, and she races past me, Cyrus skidding across the pavement, whirling to stand next to me, ready to fight. All of my attention is on the hulking, furred, andsnarling creature before me.
Ares, the God of War. My Nephew. Of course. Who else would come for me? And in his war form, covered in fur, terrifying and meant to strike down humans from the very sight of him.
“Uncle,” he snarls, and the word is thick in his throat. “You have something of mine.”
“You will not take her, Ares.” I stand firm, and there is no hesitation in me. I know what he wants. Besides me, Cyrus bares his teeth at my nephew in a clear threat.
“She was promised to me, and the key. You think you can just walk back into your kingdom? It doesn’t work that way.” He smiles at me, the picture of reason, except he isn’t. “If she does not come to me now, I’ll destroy her and it.”
“I’m not yours, asshole,” Katy shouts from behind me. “Go fuck yourself!” I reach out, holding my arm away from my body as she moves to challenge him. Cyrus shifts his weight, stepping up too. I have half a fear that she’s going to throw herself right at him and try to claw his face off.
This is not the meek Katy that I rescued from her family’s pub. When I glance at her, her eyes are flickering with an internal light that takes me by surprise. It’s almost… green. Andgold.
“Quiet, woman,” I growl at her, and the sound that leaves my mouth isn’t entirely human. Beside me, Cyrus tenses, waiting to throw himself between me and my nephew. But I won’t let someone so loyal, so good, sacrifice himself.
“I’ll take you too. You know that your place is here on earth, so why do you fight the boundaries given to you?” Ares growls, and he steps toward us. His body is massive, his form not human, butnot entirely a beast either.
He is both and neither. Too bad for him. I am both as well. Demon and man. Cyrus, Cerberus, hasn’t shifted, but if he does… woe betide my nephew.
