Page 96 of Blood

“You’re really good at pep talks, huh?” I snark, already exhausted and ready for the day to end. God, all I want to do is curl up on the couch and cuddle with my mates. Is that too much to ask for? Shouldn’t I receive a goddamn happy ending after all the shit life has put me through?

Balor gives me an annoyed look before his body abruptly drops to the ground, motionless, his eyes vacant and unseeing. A second later, a glittering ball of light oozes out of his stomach and bobs in the air like a balloon tethered to a string.

Balor.

My...backup.

The universe really likes deep dicking me, doesn’t it?

But I have to put my trust in Dimitri and his plan, just as he’s putting his trust in me. If he believes Balor will provide semi-adequate backup, then I have no choice but to believe him.

Fuck my life.

Worry for my mates, compounded by my fear of what’s to come, causes my legs to tremble as I step away from Balor’s body and move toward the designated meeting place. It’ll take me at least a few minutes to walk there, so I’ll only have five to six minutes of talking to Zeus before the rest of our army arrives. Hopefully, that’ll be enough time to distract him.

Mount Olympus is what you’d get if you crossed cotton candy with Disney World. In the middle of the pink, pearlescent clouds, a mammoth cluster of walkways, turrets, and spires hover in the air. Numerous buildings span the length of the cloud, all of them constructed out of bricks that seem to reflect the sunlight. At the very front of the city, a long, golden bridge extends, stretching over thousands of miles of open air. Honestly, I have no idea where that bridge leads to. I half expect it to continue on forever and ever and ever—an infinite walkway of glittering gold and a fathomless abyss of blue directly below it.

The giant castle is surrounded by pink, silvery huts, almost appearing like Barbie-themed mushrooms. The streets are paved with the same shimmery, indecipherable material that the bridge was constructed of, though the color appears eggshell white instead of gold.

And just like the last time I visited Mount Olympus, the emptiness of the immense city is startling, a physical kick to the gut. There are no souls walking the white streets, no gods or goddesses sitting at the tiny café in the center of town, no animals scurrying through the foliage of magenta bushes.

Now, I know the truth behind the bereft city—Zeus has digested all the souls that previously resided here. And the gods and goddesses? They never existed. At least, not in the way story books would have you believe. They’re actually the Fomorians and have been locked away for hundreds and hundreds of years.

My hands turn clammy as I continue to venture forward, stopping in front of the gigantic structure dominating the center of the city.

Zeus’s castle.

It’s one of the few things in Mount Olympus that isn’t immaculate or pink. Time has textured the huge building, forming valleys and ridges. It’s almost as if the universe itself is mocking Zeus’s claim to power, as if it’s trying to tell the almighty god that he isn’t truly almighty. That there’s one thing that will always be more powerful—time.

And Zeus’s time is running out, dwindling like sand in an hourglass.

I inconspicuously look in both directions, searching for any threats, but my search is halted when the front doors to the castle are flung open.

Zeus steps forward like a manifestation of my worst nightmare.

Thick, wavy hair hangs around his face, merging with the prominent beard on his chin. His eyes are keen, studying me with an intensity that has my clammy palms turning sweaty. A ruby-red robe, one size too small for his towering frame, cascades around his body like waterfalls of blood.

Anger immediately singes my bloodstream at the sight of the man who took Mason from me. The monster who’s trying to destroy the world. The beast who’s threatening everyone I love.

I force myself to take a deep breath, to push my rage aside.

Stay calm, Violet. Stay calm.

It’s easier said than done when you’re staring into the eyes of a cold-blooded murderer.

“Hello, Violet.” A smug smile stretches Zeus’s lips, and the wrath inside of me intensifies, scorching my veins like liquid heat. I curl my hand into a tight fist, relishing the sting of pain as my nails embed themselves into my palm.

Stay calm, Violet. Stay calm.

“I came, just as you requested. And I came alone.”

A frown momentarily steals over Zeus’s face as he tilts his head to the side, and I realize, somewhat belatedly, that he’s listening through an earpiece.

Athena was right. Zeus was expecting me to bring an army. I can see the genuine confusion on his face when he realizes that I truly did come alone, just as I agreed.

“How...interesting.” His lips purse before he forces them into a mockery of a smile. “But no matter. I’m pleased that you’ve come to your senses.” He extends a hand to me, his fingers adorned with a multitude of golden rings. “Come. Let’s change the world together, Violet Dracula.”

“Where are my parents?” I demand, not daring to venture a step closer to his outstretched hand. “You said you would free them.”

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