I was still pumped up from the vampires we had run into on the way to the karaoke bar and struggled to sit still. Luckily I had plenty I could do, so bobbed my head in time to the catchy pop tune currently being played. The jerks thought they had been clever getting the three of us to enter the alley way; just kids, they had called us. Idiots.
"Drink?" Logan asked and nodding, I left Drew with two slayers I couldn't remember the names of and followed him up to the bar. "You look really good tonight."
Leaning against him, Logan had one arm resting on the bar and the other around my waist. A sweet kiss was placed on my cheek, before he turned to the bartender and ordered for us.
"You look pretty good yourself." I returned the gesture. "But I got vamp goo on my new shoes."
Glancing down, the silver stiletto was never going to be the same after I had used it to break the vamps knee before Drew had staked it. Yet another reason why I hate vampires, always interrupting a good night.
"If you had let us take care of them, it wouldn't have been an issue." He reminded me.
I think his exact words had been along the lines of, don't want to mess up your hair, after I made us late by straightening it. That had just pissed me off though, so I attacked first. I rarely got to look like a girl these days, I hadn't worn shoes like this since we had been in Fiji and went to that really expensive restaurant for dinner. Before that, it was hard to remember. Either way, I wasn't prepared to let them have all the fun.
"My hero!" I swooned sarcastically. "What are their names again?"
"Whose names?"
"Drew's friends."
"Um, Carla and Johnny? I think." Logan answered, glancing towards the table over my shoulder.
Instantly I felt him tense and before I could turn to look, he stopped me with a real kiss that only ended when the bartender made an awkward coughing sound. For a succubus, she was a bit of a kill joy, but she hadn't asked for ID so I couldn't hold a grudge. I picked up my cocktail and turned to go back to the table and stopped as I saw our newest arrival.
Tom.
I waited for Logan, managing to keep some control instead of just going over and punching him, but as I watched, it got even better as he moved to grab another chair from a table beside ours and the tiny person his body had been blocking came into sight.
Sam.
"Wanna go dance?" Logan asked cautiously.
"No, not yet." I smiled at him, which only made him frown.
Drew looked our way and the same look that was on Logan's face was on his too. I smiled in return and shrugged, before sipping my drink. Grabbing Logan's hand, we went the long way back to our table and there wasn't any room for us now those two had arrived.
"Just, give me a second." I told Logan.
We stopped just behind them, and the horrible singer on stage finished. Everyone clapped and the music died for a few seconds.
"What are we doing?" Logan asked, glancing back to the others.
"Ssh!" I hushed him, set on eavesdropping. I glanced back over my shoulder and Drew put down his beer. None of them seemed aware we were back.
"Logan and Elise are here Tom, can you not be an asshole tonight?" I heard Drew say.
Carla and Johnny made an oh sound, before Carla had to ask. "Why would Tom be an asshole to them? They seem pretty cool!"
Point to Carla.
"Elise doesn't like the fact that I showed her up in the past. When shit went down, she couldn't handle it and I saved her life from Dracula." Tom sneered.
Liar. Big, fat, fucking, liar.
"That's not true Tom!" Drew argued.
"Really?" Johnny gushed. "I heard she was pretty bad ass, as far as you Hunters go."
Two points to Johnny. I am pretty bad ass.
I turned around then before Logan could stop me and pushed in between Drew and Sam.
Tom laughed at Johnny, not seeing me. "She's-"
"She, is right here, Tom." I smiled, putting down my drink.
Instantly I felt Logan at my back, his hand on my waist as Drew shuffled over so he could come in closer. Carla smiled before glancing at my drink with a little envy, and Johnny covered his mouth as his shoulders shook with laughter. Tom, well Tom looked like he was ready to crawl under a rock. I wished he would.
"Speak of the devil." He muttered.
"Oh, you have no idea." I shot back. I didn't even acknowledge Sam, but I didn't miss the way she inched away from me.
"So, who is going to sing tonight?" Drew quickly cut in, opening the folder that sat on all the tables. "I think I might try a bit of Green Day."
"I always go for Taylor. I'm a Swifty at heart!" Carla laughed, sensing what he was trying to do. "Then again, I do love Pink!"
Somehow, Logan managed to move so I was between him and Drew, putting even more space between me and Tom, but I liked this better. I could glare at him from this angle and he could see it. The tension didn't leave the table, yet we carried on with Carla soon running over to the DJ and putting in some song requests before a pizza arrived at our table.
It was a busy night, but not packed and the crowd was all good value. It helped we were all had the same level of singing talent,which was that no one here had any. Sam and Tom got up and did a sickening duet of 'don't go breaking my heart', while Drew, Logan and I focused more on our drinks and having a laugh than worrying about what we were going to sing.
The buzz I had seemed to make everything else going on seem really insignificant and yet a sense of dread started to form in the pit of my stomach. Looking at the bar staff, our demon friend had vanished. Nothing strange about that, people work shifts all the time and yet I just had to check on something. Leaving my place at the bar, I wandered towards the front door. One of the bouncers had been vampire, yet he too was gone.
Walking outside, it was pretty deserted. It wasn't anywhere near midnight just yet, but I guess the fact it was a Monday and not a Friday night explained the lack of people. A warm breeze made me look up and the night sky was hidden by dark clouds that hadn't been around when we'd arrived. I don't remember hearing anything on the weather forecast about bad weather coming in either.
"Lost?" The human bouncer asked.
"Where did the other guy go that was here?"
"Dunno. Took off, said he had a family emergency." He shrugged.
"Does he know the blonde bartender by any chance?"
"Yeah, they're engaged. Sorry to give you the bad news."
"Bad news?" Then it clicked, he thought I was interested in the bouncer. "Ha ha, oh yeah. Damn!"
He shook his head, clearly uninterested as he turned his attention back to his phone and I went inside. I didn't get very far when that feeling came over me that meant only one thing. Looking around, someone was standing by the corridor to the toilets and it wasn't hard to guess who.
"What are you doing here? Stalking me now?" I huffed, stopping beside Cain.
"You're awfully observant these days."
"These days?" What did that mean exactly?
"You should go, there is something coming here tonight and you and your friends aren't in the right state to deal with it." Cain warned. "There is a group of Hunters already on their way. The civilians will be taken care of so don't worry about that."
"Since when do I back away from a fight?"
"Since this creature was sent for you."
"What? By who?"
"Irrelevant. Go home." He snapped.
"Elise?" Logan called, and looking behind me, he came over. When I turned back to Cain, he was gone. "You okay?"
"Did you see who I was talking to?"
"The wall? I didn't think you were that drunk." He teased.
"I'm not. Cain was here, said something was coming and we should leave."
Logan nodded. "Okay, let me get the others and we'll go."
"Just like that?" I questioned.
"Despite, well, everything, I get the feeling he really isn't going to hurt you so if the crazy god thing tells you it's time to go, it's time to go!"
I hated that Logan could be right.
Moving back to the front door, rubbish was blowing down the street and the bouncer came inside. "Hope you don't have to walk far, it's raining out there."
"Rain?" Going closer, he was right.
The cars that went by all had their wipers on and what people were around now scurried from awning to awning, trying to stay out of the wet.
"Strange."
"You're telling me. It's like it just came out of nowhere." He agreed.
I ran back to the table and saw Logan was arguing with Tom. The pair of them looked at me at the same time and I grabbed Logan's arm.
"You're right. Time to go. Now." Cain said other hunters were on their way. We had no real weapons and no idea what we were up against. I may have brilliant moments of stupidity, but this wasn't one of them.
The others nodded, already holding their belongings as Johnny downed the rest of his beer. We started to move, except for Tom and Sam.
"You coming?" Drew asked his brother.
"Why? Cause of her?"
"Tom, you're drunk. Don't be an idiot." He scolded.
Despite the loud music, the thunder that rumbled outside was heard and what ever was in this storm, was getting closer. Logan sent the other two on their way, and they called out to Drew they'd call later. The three guys started an argument that had people around us looking and as the font door slammed shut, I knew our chance to leave was ruined.
"Logan!" I called. "It doesn't matter, we're too late."
"What?" All three stopped.
The presence in the room was heavy, sucking the air out from around us. I glared at Tom and nudging Logan, ran towards the bar. Behind it was a fire extinguisher and underneath that, one of those handy break in case of emergency cases with an ax in. No one noticed me slip underneath the counter to get to it, Logan right by my side.
"Stay down!" Logan ordered, snapping the lock off the case.
"Look at you, Muscles." I teased, making him shake his head at me. "What do you think it is?"
"No. Idea." He smiled as he saw there were two axes in there and passed me one. "How drunk are you?"
"Sober now."
"Good. Let's try the bathroom. Might be a window we can climb out of."
We stood up and froze. The music hid the fact the bulk of the noise in the place had disappeared as one by one everyone slumped over or fell down. Drew, Sam and Tom managed to make it over to us as the people at the bar all dropped. When the bartender fell, I quickly reached over and found a pulse. They were simply unconscious, so why weren't we affected?
"I'll deal with this!" Tom hissed, snatching one of two weapons we had and standing up, started to walk through the silent crowd. "Show yourself!"
Laughing sounded out over the microphone, the music cutting out as a spotlight appeared mid stage. A shadow appeared, taking the form of a grey skinned man. I couldn't tell if he was naked or not, but there wasn't anything that made his clothing obvious and when he opened his eyes, the light reflected a bright gold back to us. He was not human.
"Hunterrrr." It growled.
"Tom, is a fucking idiot." I whispered to Drew, who was clearly struggling to stay put thanks to the need to help his sibling. "Don't do anything-" Drew ran over to join him. "Stupid."
Logan poked my arm, and then pointed towards the bathrooms, but now I couldn't leave Drew.
"Hunterrr!" The thing growled again.
Drew said something to Tom and before either of them could move, the thing raised it's hand and a blast of golden light sent the pair of them flying back towards us. Again that horrible, cackling laugh tore through the building and the grey man leaped towards the pair as they struggled to stand up. Instantly he had a hand around each of their throats and as Logan tried to push me and Sam towards the toilets, he got ready to go and help them.
"Fucking Tom!" I cursed under my breath, pushing Logan over and snatching the only weapon we had now, I stood up. "Let them go."
Golden eyes turned my way and a yellow grin took over the blankness of its face. "You."
"Hi, hows it going?" I smiled at it, thankful Sam was doing something useful like keeping Logan with her. Since I couldn't hear him now, I'm guessing she wasn't going to want to be near him when he woke up. "How about you let them go and we can sort this out."
The thing obliged, dropping them instantly so they were left gasping and coughing at its feet.
"So, what are you?" We started to circle each other and as I neared the brothers, Drew dared to stand up.
"Get out of here Elle, we can hold it off so you can get away."
"Yeah, I can tell!" I mumbled. "Always having to save my life hey Tom?"
He only groaned and spat out something I couldn't hear before standing too.
"We can't do anything in here, all these innocent people." Drew whispered.
"I know." I answered, groaning as it's hands lit up all supercharged again. "Go back to Logan and Sam. I'll keep it occupied while you lot find something to help kill it back there."
Tom nodded and Drew reluctantly stumbled after him.
If other Hunters were coming, I just needed to hold it off until then; just not in here where everyone could get hurt. We stop monsters like this. We protect civilians who don't know any better about the things that exist only in their nightmares, the creatures that go bump in the night. Plus my friends were here, okay, no. My boyfriend and a friend were here, but I couldn't hurt them by using Sam and Tom as a sacrifice. It was tempting though.
It was then I turned and ran. A blast of power hit the wall by the front door, but missed me. I kept running, not daring to look back and going outside, kicked of my heels. I was good, but I wasn't that good and taking off down the pavement, pain tore down my back as if it was dragging its nails across my flesh.
I managed to hold back my scream, and daring a look over my shoulder, it stood there with its hands out, recharging and ready to strike. This was so not good and Ailin was going to pissed when she hears about this from her little spy fairies who did damage control and kept our secret world secret.
It was barely three steps later when he was suddenly there in front of me. His skin cracking open like eggshells to reveal strange patterns all over its body that glowed with the same golden light. Was he a ray of fricken sunshine in there?
Time to find out. I swung out with no warning, and the blade managed to reach its stomach. The flat surface glowed brighter as the skin was damaged there and again, that horrible laugh sounded.
I swung again, and this time it caught the blade. What ever it was, he wasn't a great deal taller than me, but as it lifted the axe - with me still gripping onto the handle, the whole figure seemed to grow bigger and suddenly my feet weren't touching the ground. I let go, and scrambled backwards, daring to look around for witnesses but the streets were empty.
My weapon was suddenly ash; the tiny grey and black particles floating down over me like charcoal snow before it took a step closer. Then another. I was so screwed and as its hands lit up, and I had to close my eyes from the brightness of the blast that was going to turn me into the same nothingness my axe had just become, nothing happened.
Opening my eyes, Cain stood in front of me and held the creature back.
"Cain?" I whispered.
He didn't answer and as the creature threw another at us, again and again and again, it was just like he had done with the Warlocks. His hands were held up as if his own power was about to be blasted from his palms and he meet each blow with an an invisible shield. With a roar of effort, Cain pushed forward and a ball of light appeared over his head which he then launched at the grey monster.
I had just stood up when I was suddenly being thrown backwards. Glass from the windows of the cars in the street and the store beside me shattered joined me in my fall as everything seemed to go in slow motion. I saw each spark of the monster as it exploded, the invisible wave of energy as it rolled like a tidal wave over the area. Car alarms all sounded at the same time and just when I expected to hit the pavement and closed my eyes, I wasn't met with pain.
An arm was behind my back, another under my knees and ever so carefully, I was set down instead of thrown. Daring to open my eyes, I was met with an unfamiliar blue pair and a face I didn't know. Despite appearances, it was obvious who he was and he had saved me. Again.
"What happened to leaving?" He scolded as the rush of the world around us broke through what ever barrier had kept everything quiet for those few seconds.
"I was, but-"
"But you stayed and then managed to lure it outside, where it was probably only going to end up killing you?" Cain finished.
"Um, yeah. Did you, is it dead?"
"It's vanquished. Just for now, let's say you did it. Be easier that way, okay?"
I gave a little nod, and looked up to the sky, which was clear and cloudless - filled with a million stars that seemed to shine so much brighter than I'd ever noticed in a city before.
"Thank you." I whispered.
It was then I realised I wasn't actually on the ground. He was still holding me and ever so slowly and carefully, Cain stood and set me down on my own two feet. Somehow I had my shoes back on and he said nothing before he disappeared. That was, weird.
"Elise!" Logan screamed my name and turning around, he came running out of the bar with Drew right behind him. "Elise!"
They both froze as they saw me standing there and I took a few shaky steps over towards them. Blood ran down Logan's forehead and the moment of thankfulness I had for Sam keeping him out of the way of harm, vanished at the sight.
"Your head! Are you okay?" Instantly I reached out to check him over and instead was nearly crushed as he threw his arms around me.
"Shit, sorry, that probably hurt!" Logan stepped back and I glanced down to find my dress ruined. My arms were cut up like I'd gone a hundred rounds with a kitten, while ash and who knows what else covered me.
"I'm fine. Honest." At least I think I was.
Drew was pale and furious as he looked at the destroyed street behind me.
"You killed it?" He asked.
I didn't hesitate, knowing the right answer. "Yes."
Tom and Sam came out then, and with out any hesitation I walked over to Tom.
"It's dead?" He asked cautiously.
Clenching my first, I braced myself for what was coming and punched him right in the jaw. He stumbled to the right, groaning in agony as he held the area I hit.
"If I hear a single lie about that night, or this one, or anything about me that came from your mouth, I don't care if I am friends with your brothers. You will regret it, big time." I threaten.
"Elise, he never meant-" Sam started.
"Don't. Just don't." I snapped at her.
Tom looked like he wanted to say something and I really wanted him to as well yet the hard look he had given me faded. "Sorry for not leaving when you said. I won't say a word about tonight."
"I let you kill him. I respected your family enough to keep that, so don't you dare disrespect mine."
"Understood." He held out his hand and with Logan and Drew now behind me, I took the high road and accepted it. God, I hated being the bigger person.
) O (
Two days later, we left New York behind with a new travel buddy in the form of Drew. The idea was to wait it out, see if any other nasties wanted to come and party, but nothing did. Cain was missing in action as well and for some reason, I wanted to think it was over. It was stupid, I know, but so was taking a flight to Athens to visit Delphi and the temple of Apollo.
"This view is amazing." Drew pulled out his camera and took a few pictures of the mountains that spread out before us.
We all stopped our walk to take a moment and admire the view. It was hard not to, this place was beautiful. Clear blue skies were above us, and all around the well worn tourist paths, remains from another era remained like a tombstone for a world lost.
"That's Mount Parnassus." Logan took a picture as Drew kept talking. "Everything is just so, green. I've seen a lot of beautiful places, but there is just something about here in particular that makes me think I won't forget it."
I had to admire Drew's enthusiasm and the pair of them kept talking, swapping facts and sharing what they'd read about this place during three hour drive here. Playing tourist was actually kind of fun, and yet all I saw when looking around of what this place had once been.
Had Portia and her sisters stood where I now did, admiring the view?
An elderly couple walked by us, struggling with the warmth of the day and the often steep climb. We had passed their tour group about half an hour ago and they had only just caught up to us. We'd been stopped for about ten minutes and I was eager to keep going.
"Did you grab the water Randy?" The older woman asked her husband.
"I thought you had it?" He wheezed. A quick search through both their bags proved pointless as they didn't have any on them.
Instantly I opened my backpack and pulled one our spares out. "Here, we have extra."
"Really? Thank you sweetheart, that's awfully generous of you!" The woman didn't even hesitate in taking it from me and quickly took a drink.
We kept going and checked out a few of the locations, looking around like all of the other people that were here and coming across one area in particular, there was talk of the Oracle of Delphi. Drew and Logan discussed the whole idea that the Oracle only had these messages from Apollo because she was essentially high with the other tourists.
"What do you think?" The woman I gave the water to asked, drawing me into the conversation.
"It's really just an urban legend isn't it, something written down in history that we now assume is true?"
"Ah, a skeptic?"
"Perhaps." I smiled.
"If only these walls could talk, am I right?" She chuckled to herself.
"If only." I agree.
There isn't a lot that remains of Apollo's temple, but there doesn't need to be. I walk around the ruins to the entrance and for a brief second it's as if time hadn't had any impact on any of it. The columns stand proud and in all their glory, the marble still around each pole. The ground is no longer just dirt, but paved and down the hillside small fires burn into the night - fighting to keep the darkness away.
It was here that Portia fell, her heart breaking after the murder of her sisters. The ground is painted with their blood, it pools around my feet, flowing away from the temple as gravity demands. I can see their bodies, limp and lifeless - unmoving from where they dropped once the priests removed their daggers.
"Elise?" Drew asks, standing where Cain had appeared.
I look to the temple, feeling the cool metal of the dagger Cain handed over. Drew says my name again, and looking down, Logan quickly shields my hand as he pulls my arm towards him and instantly I drop the dagger into his bag.
"Where did-" I start.
"Who knows." He answers, looking around to make sure no one was watching us.
"That was, unexpected." Drew sighs, running a hand through his hair.
"I saw what I already had, the priests killing Portia's sisters and Cain handing her the dagger. Only, I have the dagger." I tell them.
"Well, we need to keep climbing if we want to find a place to hide for tonight, once everyone has gone." Logan keeps us moving and looking back to the temple, I half expect it to be sitting there as it had been back then.
It's not, the ruins remain as silent as ever and it's past midnight when we decide to head back down the mountain to where our hire car is waiting. Nothing else happens, not even the next day, or the day after that. No visions, memories or even dreams.; just nothing. All I do get, and its the same for all of us, is a sense that we're not welcome there.
"Maybe they gave you the dagger to make you go away?" Drew wondered out loud.
"Maybe." I agree as we sat by a stone that was apparently thrown up by some guy called Cronus because he thought he ate baby Zeus.
Yeah, cause rocks are just like babies.
"What did you want to do? We can come back again tomorrow." Logan offered.
"I think if anything else was going to happen, it would have by now." It made sense and I did get a new dagger.
Turns out it was just like the sword and no one other than me could touch it. If I kept this up, I could update my weapon collection and bring a whole new dimension to the term, vintage chic. As neat as that is, it's not what I want. I want more answers, I want to speak to one of these gods and find out what is going on and despite standing out there calling out to anyone and everyone to answer me - no one has.
"I'm surprised Cain hasn't made an appearance. There is an amphitheatre near the temple, maybe he can conjure up a new beast for you to fight?" He jokes.
"Too soon Loges, it's not funny yet."
"I wasn't trying to be." Comes his dry response.
"Oh."
We all go quiet, lost in thought and eventually head back to the car.
"What if we try another temple?" Drew suggests.
So we do, and nothing happens at any of them; just that same feeling of being unwelcome. We end up in Athens and as we past the Numismatic Museum, I get Logan to stop. It's a last resort, but we go in and wander around. There is a whole world of history you can't even begin to comprehend here and as the guys admire some kind ancient weapon display, I keep walking and end up in going outside. Following my instincts I keep going, and when I see a statue ahead, I can't deny that it doesn't have my attention. Reading the plaque, I'm suddenly a disbeliever in coinsidences. This is Artemis - twin of Apollo.
"This will sound stupid, and thankfully no one is around right now to hear me, but Artemis? Are you there?" I ask hopefully.
Nothing.
"Worth a shot."
Giving up, I turn to go back inside when someone taps on my shoulder. Turning around, my mouth drops as the sun seems to reflect off the statue and into a person that looks rather different to the one up there; mostly because she isn't made out of bronze.
"Artemis?" She curtseys slightly, dropping her head in a silent nod. "You're real?"
She nods again, a polite smile appearing on her pretty face. Blonde curls are pinned in a way I doubt I could ever replicate, and there is something soothing about her, it makes me forgot how anxious we had all been temple visiting.
"Do you know of Cain?" I ask.
She shakes her head. "No. Not of, Cain."
Her words are slow, deliberate and feeling like I'm in a disney movie with a princess in front of me, two little birds fly over to land on her finger. Seriously?
"I know of, you. We all do, Elise the Hunter."
"Me?" I swallow nervously.
She nods again. "Our brother ensured that. We always knew you would come, never when. Here you are."
"Your brother, that's Cain? The whole sword display guy?"
"Yes fellow Huntress. I do not know of this Cain." Great, now he has another name. "I call him brother, only he is not. Apollo will not be pleased about my being here, yet he gave you his dagger. Hypocrite."
"That's Apollo's dagger?"
"Did you not know? We thought that was why you came?"
"No, I came to ask about your brother. Why was he banished, and how am I his key into getting back home?"
"Do you wish to help him on his journey?" She asked softly, more interested in the bird than me.
"I don't know."
"Yes you do." A cloud passed over the sun, and she glanced up curiously. "Because you will help him, we can not help you. Such a shame, I could always have use for someone like you."
"Help me how? What if I say I won't, right now. I'll promise you?" I sounded desperate and hated it.
The birds left her and she reached out to run a finger down the side of my face. "Too late little Huntress."
She turned away and went to walk towards her statue, this whole thing completely pointless. I couldn't stop the tears of frustration rolling down my cheeks, and moved after her.
"Wait, please! Artemis, just tell me his real name!" I begged.
"It is thought Rhea birthed no more after Zeus and that my Mother only ever had twins." She smirked, a rather evil glint in her eyes that made my stomach drop. "What has been written down to form history, can not always be assumed to be true."
Didn't I say something like that to the old lady at Apollo's temple?
Artemis winked as the light seemed to fade away and all I was left with was a stupid bronze statue and even more questions. Then again, I also had Apollo's dagger and a possible clue when trying to work out who Cain truly is - just one more piece for a never ending puzzle.