Page 36 of Seph

“Well, in a minute I’m going to hit the rest of you!”

Van Helsing was busy taking deep breaths of the sweet, October air, head hanging out the window while she gulped her stomach back to order.

He sat in the seat, head back, and knees like jelly. “All right, Emily?”

“I hate this car. We’re driving if we have to go anywhere in town.” The notorious vampire hunter stumbled out of the car completely and hugged herself, hands patting against her body as if to make sure all of her limbs were still attached. “Where are we?”

Simeon eased out of the car and put the key fob in his pocket, making sure not to tap the horn button. He jerked his thumb at the white and orange mailbox sitting next to their car, marking a long, winding driveway. “Demeter Organics.”

“Hades? Is that you? Zag? Milly? Which one of you came joy-riding in Daddy’s car to see your old nana?”

Simeon blinked. Old nana his lily white ass.

Demeter seemed to be about thirty, maybe closer to forty, but as any man will tell you, even a dead one, there’s a beautiful ripeness to a woman at that age. She knows her body, knows how to move it, what colors to wear, what words to use...

Farming and sensuality would now be twined forever in his mind. Simeon didn’t know what would happen in his trousers the next time he saw the produce section at the grocery store.

Emily elbowed him. “You’re staring.”

“She’s a goddess. I’m supposed to.” Simeon bent his head to mutter in her ear and received ahmphand another elbow, this one sharper and maybe fueled by jealousy. At least, he’d pretend.

Demeter paused as she got close to them, eyes narrowing. Seemingly from out of nowhere, the goddess pulled a short, hand-held sickle. “Demons? On my property? What sort of prank is this?”

“Um. No prank, your glorious goddess-ness. I’m—uh—Simeon. I’m a vampire, true, but I’m on a mission from your son-in-law—”

“Or brother,” Emily helpfully chimed in—right before a look of worry crossed her face.

Simeon rolled his eyes. The girl had endless skill with a stake—not so much with her mouth.

No, don’t think about her mouth.

Her words. She’s clumsy with words—but maybe she never got to talk much. Remind you of anyone else, Crow? The boy who always kept his horrible voice hidden until he perfected a rasping whisper that didn’t offend everyone’s ears but everyone still talked over anyway?

The goddess looked between them. “Mission?” The sickle shrank and slid back into Demeter’s pocket.

“I want a stake that does that,” Emily whispered enviously, a hungry expression on her face.

“We... Well, there’s no easy way to say it, but we’re looking for Persephone.”

Demeter, who had glorious gold-red tresses that fell in long waves, plump, smooth, peach cheeks, and a body that made every man suddenly eager to plow a certain furrow— changed.Her hair streaked with gray, her cheeks hollowed and sagged, and her whole body seemed to wither. “My daughter? My little girl?”

It was an instinct. Simeon rushed forward and put his arm around the quivering lady. “I’m sorry, ducks. No kind way to spring it on you. We know it’s been a long time, but we’re not givin’ up. May I present Emily Van Helsing? Tracking immortals is in her blood.”

“And this is Simeon Crow. He’s....” Emily looked at him and seemed to struggle for positive attributes. She finally went with, “He’s raised stubbornness to an art form.” Emily took the older lady’s free arm.

“She’s alive. I canfeelthat she’s alive, moving among mortals. I knew when she was in the Underworld, you know? I felt her separation from me, but I knew she was alive.” The voice warbled with distress.

“You were very close.” Emily nodded as they shuffled up the gravel path. “That’s why we came to you. You must know, if anyone knows, what happened while she was visiting you. Wasn’t that it? She came to see you around harvest, but then she left?”

“She always spends half the year with Hades.” Demeter peered at them with keen eyes, still bright despite the shadows around them. “More than that. Once she had the children, I didn’t mind her coming and going as she pleased. She would pop in and see me in the winter, too. Did you ever have a day like spring in January? My baby popped in for a visit.”

“Do you remember that day? The day she left? It was a thousand years ago, so that’s—”

Simeon found himself cut off by Demeter’s sharp gasp. “What? No!”

“Have you seen her more recently?” Emily asked as they came to the end of the long path. The goddess shook her head and led them onto the tidy porch of her sprawling farmhouse.

“I just can’t believe... A thousand years? In the mortal world, that’s a very long time. It is less to me, but... oh, my daughter. Where could she be?”

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