The Struggle
Page 66
I was going to end Hyperion.
The world could call me selfish and reckless. I simply did not care. Whatever the consequences for taking out Hyperion would be worth it.
I wasn’t like Apollo. I wouldn’t sacrifice the only people I cared about to protect the many.
I was doing this for Josie.
I was doing this for our child.
Because I would not allow her to live one more day in fear of Hyperion and I sure as hell would not allow my child to grow inside her and to be born, forced to live with that kind of terror.
Exhaling slowly, I willed myself out in the hallway and immediately swallowed a groan.
Aiden stood outside the room he shared with Alex, arms crossed against his chest as he leaned against the wall. He was dressed as a Sentinel, daggers and all, and I knew he was ready.
Walking toward him, I glanced over my shoulder, and then my gaze settled on him. He opened his mouth. “No,” I said.
His eyes narrowed.
“You’re not going with me.”
Unfolding his arms, he pushed off the wall. “You’re going to that warehouse and I’m going—”
“To make sure I play well with others?” I cut him off. “I’m going to find the guy named Mitchell.”
“Yeah. Like you really give two shits about that guy,” he said, and well, I really couldn’t argue that. Aiden squared off with me. “You’re going because you hope it’ll draw out Hyperion.”
I raised my brows.
Aiden seemed to take a deep breath. “Either we got lucky with Perses, or we just don’t know what that fallout is, but Hyperion is one of the first twelve Titans. There is no way that taking him out isn’t going to do something really bad.”
“I feel like we’ve already had this conversation,” I mused.
His eyes turned quicksilver. “Hyperion is the god of wisdom—”
I snorted.
Aiden was undaunted. “He is the god of wisdom, watchfulness and light. Now the first two things probably aren’t going to be a big deal, but the light part? I’m guessing his death will have some impact on that.”
Staring at him, I worked a kink out of my neck. “So, I’m guessing you want to hear me say I care, but I’m also guessing you already know that I don’t. So, can we please end this conversation? I’ve got shit to do.”
“I know you don’t care,” he replied, voice flat.
“Look, I get that you’re about saving the world and shit, but we already had this conversation. You and I both know that if Hyperion did that shit to Alex, you’d be gunning for his ass. Just because those shoes aren’t on your feet right now, don’t think for a second I don’t know what you’d be doing.”
Aiden looked away, because he couldn’t deny that.
“I cannot allow you to come with me. If Hyperion got a hold of you and you ended up dead, I so would not want to deal with Alex.”
His turned back to me and he raised his brows.
“You will be a liability, because Hyperion can take you out.”
“And he can’t take you out?”
I smiled as I shook my head. “No.”
A flicker of emotion shot across his face. Looked a lot like unease. For what? I wasn’t sure.
“If you really want to be a help, then watch over Josie for me,” I told him. “If she wakes up and I’m not back yet, tell her I will be. I don’t want her to worry. That’s what you can do.”
Aiden looked like he was going to argue, but after a moment, he nodded. Knowing that he would do exactly that, I took myself away from the Covenant. I didn’t go to Piney Woods first. I went to the island—to just outside the temple.
It was daylight as I climbed the steps and entered the temple, finding who I was looking for.
Karina stood by the alter, her hands clasped together as if she was waiting. Just like with Basil, I really felt like I needed to get them each an iPad and introduce them to Snapchat or something. “Kýrios?”
I strode toward her, arms loose at my sides but my knuckles bleached white from how tight I was clenching my hands. “I need to feed.”
~
Powering up seemed like the smart thing to do. I was going to need everything in me as I focused in on the location Deacon had told me earlier. It took seconds to travel back around the globe to the run-down piece of crap of a warehouse.
The moment the building came into view I knew it was the right place.
I don’t know, but the place just gave off some creep vibes. The busted out windows and dirtied exterior walls screamed “serial killer hide-out.”
Crickets chirped off in the distance as I approached the front doors. Moonlight shone down, lighting my path. Wrapping my hands around the handle on the industrial door, I tapped into the fire element. The metal heated up under my grasp and the internal gears melted. The door slid open.
Dust stirred as I walked inside, my booted feet echoing off the warped floors. It was dark inside, but my vision adjusted quickly. Forgotten work benches and pallets were scattered across the floor. Mice scurried for their hidey holes, their claws clicking as they chittered.
Based on what Josie had said, she had been kept below ground. I searched the main floor, keeping my senses on high alert. I neared the back of the building, spying a closed door that didn’t look like it led to any offices.
This door was unlocked.
Opening it, I was immediately surrounded by the damp musky scent and a sickly-sweet stench that did not bode well. Shit. I headed down, already knowing what I was going to find.
Moonlight crept through a small window, casting faint light over the small, dirt-packed room. Water dripped from the ceiling, an old busted pipe. In the corner, there was a mass of clothes . . . and something else.
“Fuck,” I muttered.
Walking over, I knelt down. The first thing I saw were two goldish bands circling bony wrists. The skin was patchy in spots, and I realized he was lying half on his back, half on his side. His eyes were eyes, wide and glazed over. Mitchell was dead.
And he’d been dead a while.
This was going to hurt Josie, and I hated that. She would blame herself, thinking that if she’d remembered the name on the box truck sooner, she would’ve been able to save him. But from the looks of it, this guy’d never had a chance.
Sighing, I leaned back. Scanning the dank room, I shook my head. Josie had been right. No one deserved to die in a place like that.
Well, I did know of one person.
A trickle of awareness skated over the back of my neck and a slow smile inched across my face.
Laughter broke the silence, and then Hyperion said, “I knew you would come.”
I lifted my gaze up the damp wall and slowly rose.
“I waited. Took you long enough,” Hyperion taunted. “Did you have to work up the nerve?”
With my back to him, I tilted my head. “Oh, yeah. I was so scared.”
“You should’ve been, you little bitch.”
I laughed as I felt the deadliest element known to man and god stir deep inside me.
“You can’t even look at me, can you?” Hyperion laughed. “You may have the other Titans scared, especially since you took out Atlas and then Perses, but I know what you are.”
Fury hummed over my skin. “And what is that?”
“You’re just a supped-up God Killer and that means I can kill you,” he said, chuckling. “But I’m not going to kill you fast. I’m going to keep you down here just like I did with your pretty girlfriend.”
Akasha snapped alive, wrapping itself around the volcanic anger swirling inside me.
“I’m going to feed off you,” Hyperion continued. “And I’m going to go find that blonde bitch again and then I’ll gut her right in front of you.”
Power crackled along my knuckles. “Is that a promise?”
“Oh, yeah it is. But not before I have a little fun with her,” he said, chuckling. “Then when you’re begging for death, I’ll hand you over to Cronus and he’ll reward me by giving me Apollo.”
“Well then.” I said, turning around. Hyperion stood near the doorway. “I was planning to kill you slowly.”
Hyperion grinned. “Yeah?”
The world could call me selfish and reckless. I simply did not care. Whatever the consequences for taking out Hyperion would be worth it.
I wasn’t like Apollo. I wouldn’t sacrifice the only people I cared about to protect the many.
I was doing this for Josie.
I was doing this for our child.
Because I would not allow her to live one more day in fear of Hyperion and I sure as hell would not allow my child to grow inside her and to be born, forced to live with that kind of terror.
Exhaling slowly, I willed myself out in the hallway and immediately swallowed a groan.
Aiden stood outside the room he shared with Alex, arms crossed against his chest as he leaned against the wall. He was dressed as a Sentinel, daggers and all, and I knew he was ready.
Walking toward him, I glanced over my shoulder, and then my gaze settled on him. He opened his mouth. “No,” I said.
His eyes narrowed.
“You’re not going with me.”
Unfolding his arms, he pushed off the wall. “You’re going to that warehouse and I’m going—”
“To make sure I play well with others?” I cut him off. “I’m going to find the guy named Mitchell.”
“Yeah. Like you really give two shits about that guy,” he said, and well, I really couldn’t argue that. Aiden squared off with me. “You’re going because you hope it’ll draw out Hyperion.”
I raised my brows.
Aiden seemed to take a deep breath. “Either we got lucky with Perses, or we just don’t know what that fallout is, but Hyperion is one of the first twelve Titans. There is no way that taking him out isn’t going to do something really bad.”
“I feel like we’ve already had this conversation,” I mused.
His eyes turned quicksilver. “Hyperion is the god of wisdom—”
I snorted.
Aiden was undaunted. “He is the god of wisdom, watchfulness and light. Now the first two things probably aren’t going to be a big deal, but the light part? I’m guessing his death will have some impact on that.”
Staring at him, I worked a kink out of my neck. “So, I’m guessing you want to hear me say I care, but I’m also guessing you already know that I don’t. So, can we please end this conversation? I’ve got shit to do.”
“I know you don’t care,” he replied, voice flat.
“Look, I get that you’re about saving the world and shit, but we already had this conversation. You and I both know that if Hyperion did that shit to Alex, you’d be gunning for his ass. Just because those shoes aren’t on your feet right now, don’t think for a second I don’t know what you’d be doing.”
Aiden looked away, because he couldn’t deny that.
“I cannot allow you to come with me. If Hyperion got a hold of you and you ended up dead, I so would not want to deal with Alex.”
His turned back to me and he raised his brows.
“You will be a liability, because Hyperion can take you out.”
“And he can’t take you out?”
I smiled as I shook my head. “No.”
A flicker of emotion shot across his face. Looked a lot like unease. For what? I wasn’t sure.
“If you really want to be a help, then watch over Josie for me,” I told him. “If she wakes up and I’m not back yet, tell her I will be. I don’t want her to worry. That’s what you can do.”
Aiden looked like he was going to argue, but after a moment, he nodded. Knowing that he would do exactly that, I took myself away from the Covenant. I didn’t go to Piney Woods first. I went to the island—to just outside the temple.
It was daylight as I climbed the steps and entered the temple, finding who I was looking for.
Karina stood by the alter, her hands clasped together as if she was waiting. Just like with Basil, I really felt like I needed to get them each an iPad and introduce them to Snapchat or something. “Kýrios?”
I strode toward her, arms loose at my sides but my knuckles bleached white from how tight I was clenching my hands. “I need to feed.”
~
Powering up seemed like the smart thing to do. I was going to need everything in me as I focused in on the location Deacon had told me earlier. It took seconds to travel back around the globe to the run-down piece of crap of a warehouse.
The moment the building came into view I knew it was the right place.
I don’t know, but the place just gave off some creep vibes. The busted out windows and dirtied exterior walls screamed “serial killer hide-out.”
Crickets chirped off in the distance as I approached the front doors. Moonlight shone down, lighting my path. Wrapping my hands around the handle on the industrial door, I tapped into the fire element. The metal heated up under my grasp and the internal gears melted. The door slid open.
Dust stirred as I walked inside, my booted feet echoing off the warped floors. It was dark inside, but my vision adjusted quickly. Forgotten work benches and pallets were scattered across the floor. Mice scurried for their hidey holes, their claws clicking as they chittered.
Based on what Josie had said, she had been kept below ground. I searched the main floor, keeping my senses on high alert. I neared the back of the building, spying a closed door that didn’t look like it led to any offices.
This door was unlocked.
Opening it, I was immediately surrounded by the damp musky scent and a sickly-sweet stench that did not bode well. Shit. I headed down, already knowing what I was going to find.
Moonlight crept through a small window, casting faint light over the small, dirt-packed room. Water dripped from the ceiling, an old busted pipe. In the corner, there was a mass of clothes . . . and something else.
“Fuck,” I muttered.
Walking over, I knelt down. The first thing I saw were two goldish bands circling bony wrists. The skin was patchy in spots, and I realized he was lying half on his back, half on his side. His eyes were eyes, wide and glazed over. Mitchell was dead.
And he’d been dead a while.
This was going to hurt Josie, and I hated that. She would blame herself, thinking that if she’d remembered the name on the box truck sooner, she would’ve been able to save him. But from the looks of it, this guy’d never had a chance.
Sighing, I leaned back. Scanning the dank room, I shook my head. Josie had been right. No one deserved to die in a place like that.
Well, I did know of one person.
A trickle of awareness skated over the back of my neck and a slow smile inched across my face.
Laughter broke the silence, and then Hyperion said, “I knew you would come.”
I lifted my gaze up the damp wall and slowly rose.
“I waited. Took you long enough,” Hyperion taunted. “Did you have to work up the nerve?”
With my back to him, I tilted my head. “Oh, yeah. I was so scared.”
“You should’ve been, you little bitch.”
I laughed as I felt the deadliest element known to man and god stir deep inside me.
“You can’t even look at me, can you?” Hyperion laughed. “You may have the other Titans scared, especially since you took out Atlas and then Perses, but I know what you are.”
Fury hummed over my skin. “And what is that?”
“You’re just a supped-up God Killer and that means I can kill you,” he said, chuckling. “But I’m not going to kill you fast. I’m going to keep you down here just like I did with your pretty girlfriend.”
Akasha snapped alive, wrapping itself around the volcanic anger swirling inside me.
“I’m going to feed off you,” Hyperion continued. “And I’m going to go find that blonde bitch again and then I’ll gut her right in front of you.”
Power crackled along my knuckles. “Is that a promise?”
“Oh, yeah it is. But not before I have a little fun with her,” he said, chuckling. “Then when you’re begging for death, I’ll hand you over to Cronus and he’ll reward me by giving me Apollo.”
“Well then.” I said, turning around. Hyperion stood near the doorway. “I was planning to kill you slowly.”
Hyperion grinned. “Yeah?”
