Blood of the Ancient Gods: The Beginning (6 page)

Chapter 7

"Father, where are you?" Psyche asked.

She hated coming down here. The Underworld was so depressing and she'd rather be on Earth far away from all this death, despair, and decay. Her father loved every minute of it. Like usual he didn't answer her and she found him in his office pouring over old texts. What was he searching for? She gently cleared her throat to alert him to her presence. Hopefully it wouldn't take long for him to address her.

"What do you know?" Thanatos asked.

Well, guess it's too much of a hassle to be civil and exchange pleasantries first. No matter.

"What are your plans, Father?" Psyche asked instead.

"It's like you want me to kill you. Is that it? Do you have a death wish, daughter?"

"Loki and Eris are up to something. They have their eyes on the girls I told you about. The ones I said I feel something stirring inside."

"Do you have a hint as to what they have planned? Are they working on their own accord or for someone else? It could be just mischief?"

"No, I don't think so. They want them for something but I have no idea what. And I'm sure they aren't working along on this one."

"Why?"

"Loki followed me to try to find out why I was with the girls. If it were casual, he wouldn't have bothered. I would go up to Domus but I’d probably never make it out alive. Loki is trying to get in good with the humans and even brought Eris to the party we went to last night."

"Get back there and don't let those humans out of your sight. I want to know what they are up to. Don't fail me on this. I also need you to ask around and see what the other gods may know. Just poke around a bit but not too much that they start to ask questions. Keep it simple…just curious. I'm sure you have some contacts you can trust. And as far as sneaking into Domus goes I'm sure you can manage it if you wanted to. Now go!"

Psyche could barely keep the annoyance off her face. She wasn't his bitch boy. She was tired of being treated like his beck and call girl. She had a life of her own. A boyfriend she hadn't seen in days and was missing something terrible. They had plans that didn't involve all the spy shit her father was talking about. But she was the good daughter…ever dutiful.

"I'm on it. I'll check in when I have something worth sharing."

Psyche was going to be late for her meeting with Eros. Luckily she was a goddess and she got to Virginia from the Underworld with a few minutes to spare. She could spot that curly haired, blonde, dimpled cutie anywhere. His angelic looks were hard to hide. They decided to meet in Virginia as a way to throw her father off. He thought she was in Missouri so that would be the first place he searched when looking for her. They had been seeing each other in secret for centuries.

"There you are, beautiful! What took you so long?" Eros, the God of Love, asked.

Psyche rolled her eyes and pursed her lips.

"What else? My father. One day I'm just going to disappear and he'll never find me."

"What does he have you working on now?"

"Some humans that Loki and Eris are taking an interest in. You wouldn't know why would you?

Psyche watched the confusion cross his face and knew he had no idea what she was talking about. Damn.

"Who knows with those two? It could just be all fun and games with them. I've not been home for a few years so I'm not sure what's what anymore."

"Would you tell me if you did?" Psyche asked. A cute little pout on her face.

"Of course. I have no secrets from you. Now enough talk, woman. I've missed you."

Psyche melted in Eros's embrace and forgot about anything but him for the next few hours. She'd figure out what was going on soon enough. She had plenty of time.

Chapter 8

Loki walked in the dorm building like he knew exactly where he was going and in a sense he did. He would have to be careful and clever but the hardest part would be getting inside their room without raising suspicion. Hopefully Psyche wasn't home. Eris was out searching for her to ensure she didn't arrive home while he was extracting the girls. After finding the correct door he then paused to listen to see if he could feel Psyche's presence. With no tingling sensation coming from inside the door, he let himself in. It was very quiet and no lights were on anywhere. Good, they must be asleep and in the event they weren’t a little pulse of power to make sure they were wouldn't hurt.

When he was sure they wouldn't wake up while he was moving them, he started in Lilia's room. The chamber room in Domus was already set up and all he had to do is move the girls from their beds to the glass cylinders. He did this one at a time. After he had Lilia inside her cylinder, he moved Veronica, then Tala. After they were inside, he locked the tubes so they couldn’t get out and made sure the air was getting in properly. It wouldn't do to kill the girls before they could even try to transform them. Happy with his work, he turned to find the other gods so they could get started.

Hearing a noise behind him, he turned around. Veronica had awakened and was pounding and screaming on the glass. If she wasn’t careful, she'd break it and he didn't have time for that shit. Her screaming must have woken the other girls because before long they are all screaming and pounding on the glass. Walking over to their tubes, Loki looked inside with amusement. Recognition was instantaneous and they demanded to be let out.

"Novo, what is going on? Let us out of these fucking tubes!" Tala yelled.

"Oh, sorry dear, but I can't do that and I'm not Novo. My name is Loki and I'm the God of Mischief. Don't worry, everything will be explained to you in a bit. I'll be back soon and do stop beating on the glass. You wouldn't want to hurt yourselves," Loki said.

Turning and leaving, Loki could still hear their screams coming from the chamber. They were talking to the wrong person for help or salvation. He had a job and he'd done it. The rest was out of his hands.

"I've returned," Loki announced.

"Excellent. I take it everything went well?" Oberon asked.

"As well as could be expected. They are awake and screaming in their tubes. I do hope they don't break the glass and hurt themselves. I made sure to lock the chamber as well just in case they are able to get out and not die in the process. We should hurry though," Loki said.

"Perfect. In less than a day all our prayers will have been answered and we can start amassing our armies. This is going to work. I just know it," Hecate said.

"Let's not get too overzealous. We don't want to jinx it," Fenrir stated.

Loki didn't care either way. He just wanted what was promised to him for his delivery, nothing else mattered to him in the slightest. He was in no trouble of fading anytime soon.

"You didn't run into Psyche did you?" Hecate asked.

"No, luckily she wasn't there. Eris should be returning soon," Loki said.

"Good. I'd still like to know what they were planning with those humans but it doesn't matter now. We have them and they don't. Come, let's go meet our guests shall we," Hecate said.

Loki followed behind Hecate, Fenrir, and Oberon to the chamber. The closer they got, the louder the screams were. Loki chuckled to himself. He'd have thought they would tire of the screaming by now but apparently he was wrong. He had much to learn about humans it seemed. Truth be told, Loki was also curious about how the girls would fair during the transformation process. They were playing around in new territory and it could go either way. Sadly there was only one way to find out if it would work or not. Time to go play gods.

Chapter 9

"Let us out of here, you freaks!" Veronica screeched.

"We demand to be let out at once!" Tala shouted.

"I just want to go home," Lilia sobbed. "Please."

Interesting
, Hecate thought to herself. They were all very different psychically and mentally it seemed. Loki did well but Hecate would never tell him that. She along with the other gods went to peer into the tubes the girls were being kept in. They seemed strong enough; but were they strong enough to survive the transformation? Nothing of its nature had been tried before and they couldn't afford to try again. They only had one shot at this.

"Should we let them out to see what they are made of?" Hecate asked.

"Why not? They can't get away. Loki, make sure the chamber door is secured," Fenrir said.

After Loki ensured the lock was set, Fenrir, Hecate, and Oberon let the girls out of the tubes. The locks hissed open and once they realized they could get out, they all jumped out and backed away to a corner. There they huddled against each other with Tala in the front and Lilia and Veronica shielded behind her.

"I see what you mean, Loki, about Tala always trying to protect them. She will be a fine leader indeed," Fenrir praised.

"Who are you people and what do you want with us?" Tala asked.

"We are gods and you should consider yourself lucky to be in our presence," Hecate said.

"There is no such thing! You're delusional on top of being crazy," Tala said.

"I assure you I'm neither. Do you need a demonstration?" Hecate asked.

"Let us go. People will be looking for us," Tala bluffed.

The gods laughed at her hubris. Obviously she was still confused about who and what they were. No matter, it wouldn't change her fate.

"I see you have a listening problem. No one is looking for you. You're orphans and we are gods. Now stop this foolishness and accept your new fate," Oberon said.

"Never. If you let us go now, we won't press charges," Tala said.

Hecate sighed. She was starting to get annoyed.

"I don't have time for this. Lilia come here and don't make me have to ask a second time," Hecate said.

"No, you can't have her," Tala said.

Hecate waved her arm and Tala went sliding across the floor away from Veronica and Lilia. Then she pointed at Lilia and willed her body to move. That small display of power had Hecate feeling dizzy but she refused to show it. She was weaker than she thought.

"Now, Lilia dear, you have been chosen. You will lead a new species in my name. You will become a hybrid of elf and fairy. You will be known as a Nymphacris. You will pledge allegiance to me, and worship in my name. I want an army amassed. You will be in charge of creating it. In your blood will be the power to turn others like you. The prayers of this new army will sustain me for centuries. All will pay homage to me as their patron goddess!" Hecate boomed.

Lilia stood in front of Hecate with fear laced heavily in her eyes. She had to be dreaming. It couldn't be real. She was still in her bed caught up in some sort of nightmare. There was no other explanation for it. She would wake up any moment now.

"Speak child," Hecate said.

"This isn't real," Lilia whispered.

The slap came out of nowhere and it hurt.

"I assure you I'm very real so I suggest you get your shit together, as you mortals would say," Hecate said.

"As entertaining as this all is, we don't have time. I am Fenrir. Tala come here to me."

Reluctantly, Tala went to stand beside Fenrir. She didn't want to be tossed around again.

"Good, you my dear, will be my hybrid of vampire and werewolf. I will call you the Sucolupus and you will lead my army. All will pay homage to me as their patron god. You will create them through your blood and your prayers will sustain me and make me stronger."

"I will never!" Tala yelled.

"Oh, you will or I'll hurt you. Badly. This is not a game I propose. This is a matter of life and death. I will not go gently into the night. You will be my vessel and my salvation."

"Last but certainly not least, Veronica come here to me. I am Oberon."

Veronica stumbled over wild-eyed and fell to Oberon's feet. She looked up at him with wonder and awe.

"You will be mine in all things. I will have you not only as a vessel but also as my bride. You will be a hybrid of witch and dragon. I will call you the Pristis-Incantatrix. You will form my army with your blood and all will pay homage to me as their patron god with prayers. What say you, child?" Oberon asked.

"I don't think––," Veronica started to say.

"Yes, you don't think. You do. All my commands you will follow without question. Now enough of this, we have work to do."