“That’s a good thing, child, because I don’t care.”
I took a deep breath. What if Perses refused? Would he really willingly go back to being an oddly-colored ice cube? “We need you to help us defeat Ares. You know, the god of war.”
Perses huffed. “He is not the true god of war. I am.”
“That’s not what he’s saying,” Seth added, picking up where I was heading with this.
“He says no one, past or present, can defeat him,” Aiden threw in. “Maybe that’s the truth.”
I forced a casual shrug. “If you don’t want to fight him or—”
“If you say I’m afraid, you obviously do not value your life, Apollyon.” Perses took a step forward, and ice slipped down my spine. “It has nothing to do with fear.”
“I don’t think it does.” My gaze bounced to Hades, who was being oh-so helpful through all of this. “But don’t you want the chance to go toe-to-toe with Ares again?”
A muscle popped in his jaw. “The only reason any of us were enslaved was because I was tricked.” He growled low in his throat as he spared a brief glance at the quiet god. “Ares is no match against me. He never was and never will be.”
“Then you could prove it. You don’t have to care about any of us to prove it,” I said, close to begging. “If you help us, Hades will not put you back here. He’ll release you into Elysian Fields.”
Perses stared at me for a long moment and then turned to Hades. “Is that true?”
“I don’t like it. Frankly, I think you should be in Prometheus’ place.”
The Titan’s eyes narrowed. “That is not an answer.”
Hades folded thick arms across his chest. “If you do as you are told and don’t cause any problems, you will be released into Elysian Fields. If not, we will chain your ass to a rock and strip your skin from your body, one tiny section at a time.”
“Is that so?” He raised a brow. “Seems like to me you’ll have your hands full with Ares and won’t have time to spend an eternity torturing me.”
Hades stepped up, unfolding his arms. “You forget Ares has no power in my realm unless I grant it, and he cannot enter without my permission. Ares can rip the mortal world apart, but if you betray us, we will take the time to track you down, and I will spend eternity getting my jollies off on your suffering.”
“Poor Persephone.” Perses stared down his nose at the god. “It must be hard on her if that’s what gets you off.”
I wrinkled my nose.
“If her name drips from your forked tongue one more time, I will rip it out,” Hades promised, his voice deadly low.
Was his tongue really forked?
Perses’ lips curled up on one side. “What? You don’t like me talking about your wife?” He looked over at us. “Is abduction as a means of marriage still all the rage these days?”
“Uh…no,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s really frowned upon.”
Hades’ cheeks deepened in color. “You’re really pushing me.”
“I haven’t even begun to push.”
Aiden sighed and said under his breath, “Well, this conversation has really digressed.”
“Yeah,” I muttered, crossing my arms as I watched the two try to out-snark each other.
This is going smoothly. Seth’s voice filtered through my thoughts.
I kept my eyes on the Titan. He’s not that…bad. I mean, all things considered, right?
His answering chuckle tugged at my lips. I sort of like him.
Of course.
“So, let me make sure I understand this clearly.” Perses was apparently done antagonizing Hades. “I help you prepare for war and lead the charge against Ares, and I will be returned to Elysian Fields in one piece? I must clarify that. You Olympians can be oh so tricky.”
“Yes,” I said, shifting my weight when his heavy gaze landed on me. “In one piece, happy and whole.” I frowned. He didn’t look like the happy type. “Or in whatever mood you prefer.”
Perses moved forward so fast I hadn’t even seen him move. One second he was in front of Hades, and the next he was towering over me. Neither Aiden or Seth had a chance to react. “Swear it,” the Titan said. “And you will have my word.”
“We promise.” The words tasted like ash on my tongue. “We swear it.”
“I agree—”
Hope swelled in my chest. Well, this wasn’t too hard.
Perses smiled. “On one condition.”
Oh. I tried not to show my distrust. “What is your condition?”
His smile returned, and it was hungry. I wished he’d take a step back. “I need something strong to drink, and I need a woman. Maybe two.”
CHAPTER 16
Vegas.
I was in Vegas with a Titan who needed to get drunk and get laid.
What in the holy Hades? Like, at what point in my pretty short time on Earth had my life veered off so that I would end up here?
If someone said this was going to happen a few hours ago, I would’ve told them to get off the drugs, but Hades had poofed us just outside the Palms Place, a colossal shimmery hotel near a million glittery casinos. It felt like my stomach was still in the Underworld as I gazed at the Sky Tube connecting the Palms to a casino.
I’d never been to Vegas. I remembered not too long ago, before I’d Awakened and the world went to hell, Aiden and I had made plans to get assigned to a place like Vegas. There was a huge—or used to be huge—community of pures out here, and that meant there’d be daimons to stab and all that jazz. But I wasn’t sure if the community still existed here or if they’d fled to one of the Covenants.
“Vegas,” Perses’ deep voice rumbled. “It’s like an Olympian playground?”
A wry grin pulled at Aiden’s lips as he twisted toward us and ran a hand through his hair. “Vegas is basically a playground for adults.”
The Titan smiled. “Then it is my kind of place.”
“We need to get a place for the night.” Seth looked up at the lighted hotel. “This should work.”
Hades had given us explicit orders to meet him back here at noon the following day, which hopefully was enough time for Perses to do, uh, his thing. As the four of us headed toward the front entrance of the Palms, we passed several mortal tourists. The world had gone to hell in a hand basket, but by the teeming streets and crowded sidewalks, nothing had really changed here.
Mortals had a wonderful ability of sticking their heads in the sand, even as the entire world came down on top of them.
I envied that.
Perses strode past two laughing college guys. They immediately quieted when the spied the near eight-foot tall man in leather. Although I’m sure there were stranger things to see in Vegas, he was sure going to draw a lot of attention.
We’d made it about a foot when a string of curses exploded behind us. I whipped around, as did Aiden. The two college guys were pushing each other, dangerously close to the curb. Under the glowing street lamps, their faces were red with anger.
Perses chuckled.
A shiver ran down my spine. “It’s you, isn’t it? Already, you’re affecting mortals.”
He shrugged and kept walking.
I glanced at Aiden, and we shared the same thought. This is not going to go well.
The lobby of the Palms was opulent and wildly calming compared to the glitz of outside. I lingered back as Seth strode to the registration desk. I knew he was using compulsion, and I couldn’t bring myself to feel bad about it. I looked up, awed by the size of the dazzling crystal chandelier.
Aiden smoothed his thumb over my cheek. At the same time, he was keeping an eye on Perses, who was keeping an eye on a cluster of young woman dressed in short, sexy dresses—the kind of dress I’d wear if given a chance.