Cole's Haunting Melody (The Gods' Executioner Series) (27 page)

“Shit! What are we still doing here!?” Reyna exclaims and hops up while Jason picks up both of my Diamond swords and hands them to me
.

I sheathe the Diamond swords across my back before throwing Byron’s sorry ass over my shoulders
and picking up Hades’s husk, not knowing what else to do with it. Jason, Reyna, and Natasha grab onto my left arm and I touch my Haglaz rune, porting us to my bedroom in Nifleheim. Jason snaps his fingers, porting us to the guys’ dressing room at the Citadel.

“Good, you g
uys are back!” Ryuji exclaims and a swirl of black mist announces Hel’s presence.

“Alright, we’ve stalled for as long as possible
, but the crowd is getting…” Hel trails off when she notices Hades and then her eyes go wide.

“Cole…
is that Hades?” Hel asks like she’s praying it’s some sort of piñata.

“Yeah?”
I reply. Hel ports out of the room in a swirl of black, and ports back a few seconds later.

“Persephone is still waiting with the guests like nothing happened, yet you killed the last head of the pantheon so she should be gone as well…” Hel says.

“I don’t really know what’s going on, but I absorbed the golden core in Hades’s chest into my arm like I did with Horus. Then I broke the weapon that Hades used to kill his brothers and sister, and now I have the power of water and lightning at my fingertips.” I explain.

“What!?
How is this even possible?” Hel inquires in an astonishment that is out of character for her.

“What?” I ask, unsure of what’s
wrong.

“I think you somehow made yourself the successor of Neptune and Jupiter…
most likely that of Hades and Juno as well. The only way that the pantheon wouldn’t cease to exist is if there was a new head… which is you.” Hel explains.

Shit…
This is going to be trouble; I can feel it.

“Well, we can worry about that later. I think it’s time we told the guests the truth and
gave them a little entertainment.” I say while patting Byron’s back from his place on my shoulder.

“Could you pleas
e bring Maria here?” I request.

Hel nods and ports away before porting back with Maria
less than a minute later.

“How do you feel about a little public execution?” I ask her. Maria takes a look at Byron and works out the situation.

“You know, I was just thinking to myself that this wedding didn’t have enough blood.” Maria says with a sly smile as her accent becomes extremely noticeable for a moment.

“Well, let’s go give these kind people a show.” I reply with the same surreptitious grin.

Maria and I walk out of the dressing room, up the stairs, and into the Citadel arena, where hundreds of chairs have been set up in the large meadow of wildflowers that used to be the arena grounds. I notice packs of people in the spectator seats as I notice several cameras that follow Maria and I the moment we enter. We walk down the aisle, stop in front of the raised platform, turn around, and set Byron on the ground before addressing the crowd.

“I do apologize for the delay of the wedding; the bride was actually kidnapped by King Byron as part of a ploy to try and take power from Queen Maria. Reyna is back, safe and sound,
and the wedding will begin shortly, but first I’d like to announce that Queen Maria will be taking over King Byron’s position as ruler of the vampires.” I announce.

I turn to Maria,
pull a Diamond sword from the sheath, bend down on one knee, and present the sword to her. Maria lifts the sword from my hands, I prop Byron up with my left hand grasping his hair, and Maria brings the sword through his neck with one clean slice.

“And anyone who has a problem with that can bring it up with me. Thank you.” I say as I drop Byron’s severed head, take my sword from Maria, and slide it back into its sheath.

“Oh, and can we get someone to clean this up? Thanks!” I exclaim as Maria and I walk away.

“Was that enough blood for you, Maria?” I ask once we are back in the tunnel t
hat leads to the dressing room. Two ushers pass by us carrying trash bags and paper towels. Maria doesn’t say anything and just smirks at me in response.

Chapter 27: And Finally, a Wedding

Fifteen minutes later,
after porting Hades’s husk to my bedroom and changing out of my bloody suit, I’m standing behind Jason and wearing a tuxedo with Ryuji behind me and Jericho behind him. Across the alter is Natasha, followed by Cheza, Naia, and strangely enough, Katie; all of them wearing matching black halter-top dresses made out of some shimmering material. How did Katie even get here? Movement to the right catches my eye; I turn and am met by a familiar face.

“Kir
a!? You’re marrying them!?” I incredulously ask… oh, this explains how Katie got here.

“Don’t look so astonished; I am the Incan god
dess of marriage after all.” Kira replies.

The quartet (featuring two violins, a viola, and a cello) start playing, what else but Pachelbel’s Canon in D, or as most people k
now it: that wedding song. Still don’t know what I’m talking about? Picture a wedding… now picture the music… you are now listening to Pachelbel’s Canon in D. It has been used in practically every wedding in the past seventy years or so.

Reyna emerges at the end of the aisle, being escorted by Babette in a steel grey strapless dress that shimmers as she moves. Reyna’s strapless wedding dress is a haunting medley of lace.

“Dude, we need to hurry this shit up!” I whisper into Jason’s ear.

“I’m serious; I’m having war flashbacks over here! I keep hearing choppers and explosions and shit that a
ren’t really there!” I exclaim.

Jason jerks his head away from Reyna’s view,
while bringing his closed fist up to his mouth to bite into the side of his finger in an effort to stifle his laugh. I have a sudden attack of brain freeze, causing me to grab the side of my head.

“Stop dicking around!” Cheza thinks to me; she must’ve had Airi impart the brain freeze…
too bad I can do that too.

“Airi, if you’d be so kind.”

Cheza suddenly tenses up and her cheeks flush, indicating that my plan worked. Babette helps Reyna up the steps before taking a seat in the front row next to Maria (trying not to cry) and Hel (looking happy, I guess). I spot Tia and Sara in the front row, as well as Aine, Lila, Charlotte, Dagda, Brighid, and Manannan mac Lir; I would be greatly confused by this if I didn’t already know that Cheza and I were getting married after this.

“We are g
athered here today to join the Azeman Duchess Reyna Reyes, and Niflheim’s Prince Jason Mathews. Since we’ve all been kept waiting long enough, I’m going to skip the long-winded bull and get right to business. Do you, Prince Jason, take Reyna to have and to hold,
even though I’m sure you’ve both already done plenty of that,
” Kira whispers. “…the sickness and health part isn’t exactly applicable and neither is the ‘as long as you both shall live’ part since as one of you isn’t technically alive…”

“Do you promise to stay together as long as you both rema
in in a state of animation?” Kira asks as a way of working around the ‘living’ part.

“I do.” Jason and Reyna both say.

“If anyone has any reason that these two shouldn’t be married, speak now or forever hold your peace.” Kira addresses and waits for a few moments.

“Great. I now pronounce you demigod and azeman
wife. You may kiss the bride.” Kira says. Reyna and Jason kiss to a round of accompanying cheers.

“And switch!” Jason proclaims as he snaps his finge
rs.

The ground shifts beneath me and Cheza is suddenly standing in front of me wearing
a white sequined wedding dress with Katie standing behind her, followed by Natasha, Reyna (still in her wedding dress), and Naia. Jason pats me on the shoulder and smiles at me.

“I already knew.” I tell him.

“What!? HOW!?” Jason shouts.

“Cheza thought that Natasha and Reyna had just run away together and didn’t find it prudent to change her dress before getting my attention.” I explain.

“Man… I was so looking forward to seeing your face…” Jason sulks.

“I’m confused; am I marrying you and
Chezarei right now, or you and Jason?” Kira scolds and we both abruptly shut up.

“
Ahem… Do you take each other, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live, which probably won’t be all that long considering the proficiency with which Cole pisses off the most powerful beings on the planet?” Kira asks.

“I do.”
Cheza says while I glare at Kira.

“As do I.”
I reply; that sounded infinitely nerdier than it did in my head. Cheza is looking at me with a giggling sort of smile.

“If anyone has any reason that these two shouldn’t be married, speak now
or forever hold your peace.” Kira says and looks to her right, behind Cheza.

Natasha’s face looks torn
as her right hand toys with something on a chain around her neck. She opens her mouth, but abruptly closes it.

“No, it’s better this way…
I can’t be what is needed… Chezarei and Cole are perfect for each other, so I’ll hold my peace… even if it breaks me.”
Natasha thinks in the involuntary image she sends me.

“I now pronounce—” Kir
a starts to say.

“Hold on, Kir
a.” I interrupt and Cheza starts looking really nervous. I give her a wink to let her know everything is okay before I walk over to Natasha, who looks at me with confusion. I quickly embrace her.

“Tasha, I’m sorry…
I can’t be everything that you wanted, but know that I will always be your friend.” I whisper into her ear. I feel her tears hit my earlobe before they roll down my cheek as Natasha turns her face towards mine.

“Idiot…
don’t worry about me and go get married.” Natasha whispers.

I pull away from her and see a sad smile, but I can tell that she’s happy for me. I return to my place
across from Cheza and nod at Kira to continue.

“I now pronounce you man and wi
fe. You may kiss the bride.” Kira says and I embrace Cheza before giving her light kiss.

(
Marriage 101: from now on, all orders will be given in question form, and remember that the nuance between her wanting you to do something, and her wanting you to
want
to do something, cannot be more different)

I resist the urge to laugh while Hel stands up in the first row.

“This concludes the ceremony. The reception will be in one hour at Niflheim Palace.” Hel announces.

Hel
snaps her fingers, porting the entire first row and alter to the courtyard of the palace. The courtyard has been decorated with white flowers for the reception. A long table is at the back with about thirty round tables dispersed throughout the rest of the courtyard.

“Cole, I need to speak to you
.” Hel says and snaps her fingers, porting us to a sitting room that I’m almost certain is inside the palace, but I’ve never seen it before. She sits in a leather armchair and motions for me to sit across from her.

“We need to discuss what you are going to do.” Hel says.

“About what?” I ask.

“You need to go tell the Greek/Roman pantheon about
Hades’s death and that you’re now the unofficial supreme head of the pantheon…” Hel states in a tone that implies her thoughts on how that’s going to go over, and the answer isn’t ‘smashingly!’

“I’ve already come up with a plan for that. What
do you think of Persephone as the new ruler of Hades?” I inquire.

“I think she’s capable enough for the job.”
Hel replies.

“Alright…
well, I’m going to take Hades’s husk to Mount Olympus. I might be a little late for the reception.” I tell Hel and port to my bedroom.

I change into my jeans and jacket before grabbing
Hades’s husk, just in case.

“Airi, this is going to work, won’t it?”

(Perhaps…)

I was hoping for a slightly more definitive answer…
since I’m King of the Gods now, perhaps it’s time I ported like one. I think of Mount Olympus, snap my fingers, and find myself at the gate.

“Cole?”
Cheza questions.

“Don’t worry; I’ll be back in a little bit, Honey…
Darling… Sweetness… we’ll figure out pet names later… that is a requirement of marriage, right?” I ask.

“…Yes!” Cheza exclaims in a
delayed fashion that makes me think she’s lying.

I close the connection and snap my fingers
again, thinking of the palace.

“YOUR NEW KING HAS ARRIVED!” I shout, but to no response. I think of everyone assembled in the courtyard
in front of me and snap my fingers.

“I said
your new king has arrived!” I announce and toss Hades’s husk at their feet.

“Not for long!” Apollo exclaims as he draws back an arrow
loaded in a bow that appears to be made of sunlight.

“Tsk
tsk Apollo. Don’t you realize that if I die, I take all of you and anything related to the Greek/Roman pantheon with me?” I rhetorically ask as my left arm flushes black, feeling slightly different than when it has before and with a noticeable lack of that bizarre sensation in my eyes.

I wav
e my left hand down in Apollo’s general direction; a lightning bolt strikes down and fries him, rendering him unconscious. I chuckle as I show everyone the purple lightning bolt on the back of my left hand before it fades away again.

“Now, I do believe it is time for me to choose my consorts! H
mm…” I say as I inspect the Olympians while stroking my chin with my right hand.

“Diana,
Vesta/Hestia, and Ceres/Demeter; meet me in my quarters i.e. Juno’s former quarters.” I order with a gesture to the Roman/Greek goddesses of the hearth, and of agriculture because they are the only two of the original six Olympians remaining. I walk past all of the stunned gods and into the palace.

“I say he’s lying…
let’s just kill him!” someone whispers as I head down the hall towards Juno’s quarters.

“No, he can’t be. That lightning bolt belongs only to Jupiter so he must’ve inherited it along with the place as a head; it’s the only way we’d still be around with Hade
s dead.” Another voice replies.

I walk into Juno’s quarter
s and make my way to the bar to pour myself a drink.

“You wished to see us, Feros?” Diana asks.

“Lord Feros.” I correct.

“You wished to see us,
Lord
Feros?” Diana asks through gritted teeth.

“Take your shirts off.” I
command while mixing my drink.

I look over my shoulder
and see that none of them have moved from their spots, lined up in front of the entrance of the living room. Diana is wearing her usual leather skirt and midriff shirt on the right; a woman that is about six inches taller than Diana at six feet tall with short, auburn-colored hair, and reddish brown eye color, wearing khaki shorts and a t-shirt is in the center; and finally a woman that is about 5’9” with curly dark brown hair and vibrant, leaf green eyes while wearing a toga-like robe is on the left.

“I could always take away your power and positions, effectively turning you mortal, if you’d prefer that.” I say after turning back around to finish mixing my drink.

“Can he do that?” Vesta or Ceres whispers from the middle position.

“I don’t know
, but I don’t want to chance it.” The other goddess on the left replies as I hear her sliding off her clothing.

I finish mixing my drink and down it before turning around
. I see Diana glaring at me defiantly with tears in her eyes, the middle woman glaring at me with flushed cheeks, and the left woman simply glaring. Based on what I know of their sexual experience in the mythos, Vesta/Hestia is in the middle and Ceres/Demeter is on the left. I circle around them like I’m inspecting a used car, my right hand stroking my chin. Once I’m behind Diana, I place my blackened left hand in between her shoulder blades; she flinches at my touch as I close my eyes.

Something resembling a computer screen pops up in my mind with two folders open. One folder is labeled ‘Diana/Artemis’ and the other is labeled ‘Gods’. Inside the Gods folder is a list of subfolders with the names Horus, Pluto/Hades, Jupiter/Zeus, Juno/Hera, and Neptune/Poseidon. Inside the Diana/Artemis folder is a list comprised of: Hunt, Wilderness, Childbirth, Virginity, and Moon. All of the names in the Diana/Artemis folder are shaded and have little ‘closed padlock’ symbols next to them; I guess that means they’re restricted.

I double-click on the Juno/Hera folder and see a list comprised of Women, Marriage, Queen, and Pantheon Head, with Queen and Pantheon Head listed in gold font, but none are restricted. I highlight all of them, drag, and drop them into the Diana/Artemis folder.

“This protocol cannot be undone. Are you
sure you wish to continue?”
a popup asks. I click yes.