Sunburn, page 17
And she’d be so disappointed in him now.
Who was he kidding? The Destroyer had died ages ago. Patience had believed him to be a better man. He owed it to her to be that man.
“I’m so sorry, Patience,” he whispered into the wind. “I’m so sorry.”
He felt a rush of air on his left side. He turned, and Hades was hovering there with him.
Hades looked nervously at him and then out at the landscape. “You know, I’ve never really been one for views, but this is sort of nice in a non-brimstone kind of way.” He offered Apollo what might have passed for a crooked smile. “You love her?”
“More than anything.”
And for the first time in the eons he’d known Hades, Apollo saw the older god’s eyes darken with fleeting despair. “I envy you.”
Apollo gaped at him, dumbstruck.
“No, really, it’s true. Ever since your cousins Eryx and Dionysus chose their wives, ever since they gave up everything for those mortal woman, I haven’t been able to stop thinking.” He wrinkled his nose. “I don’t like thinking. I’ve always been more of a reacting kinda guy. And in all my thinking, I’ve begun to wonder if maybe I had it all wrong. Maybe it’s not all about unbendable rules and whips and chains.” His shoulders lifted with amusement. “As fun as that can be.”
“Why are you telling me all this?”
Hades sighed. “Look, I’m not supposed to advertise this, but it’s not too late to save her.”
He turned to him in a flurry of wind. Could it be? Or was the unfeeling bastard playing with him? “If you’re lying…”
“Apollo. I’m the fucking Lord of the Underworld. Do you honestly think I need to get my jollies by lying to others? I can think of so many better things to do.”
He grabbed at Hades’ arms as hope dared to sprout inside him. He wouldn’t allow it to blossom; he couldn’t do that and be disappointed again. But a little sprout of hope wouldn’t kill him, would it? “Just tell me what I have to do.”
“You need to catch her before she crosses the River Styx. Once she’s across the river, there’s no hope. She’ll be well and truly dead. Right now, she’s floating in an in-between state. Nicodemus will be with her. It’s part of his duties to get her across the river.” He paused. “But … and this is a big but.”
“Tits of the gorgon! Just tell me already!”
“Because her soul has already begun the transition, she can only be brought back in one way.” He stared hard at Apollo. “You understand?”
Apollo felt chilling prickles of dread infest his body. “The ritual. Shit.”
“You need to make your decision. And fast. I won’t be able to help you further, Apollo. I’ve already said way too much. The rest is up to you. Do you let her go in peace, or do you possibly expose Patience to even greater torment?”
Fuck. So many eons ago, he’d been willing to have Daphne endure the ritual. But now it was Patience? Could he really do this? It could hurt her. Hell, it could kill her for good. But did he have any choice if he wanted to be with her again?
With a flash of his pale eyes, Hades was gone, but his deep voice still carried on the wind. “Consider this a freebie, nephew. Your last.”
Apollo hesitated, realizing the monumental decision he had to make. A choice he had to make for Patience because she might not be able to make it for herself. He wasn’t sure she’d understand even if he did find her. She might already be a shell of her former self, merely following the demon into the abyss, a wandering, lost soul.
What do I do?
He paused. And made his decision. Without wasting another half second, he closed his eyes, expelled a huge breath, and wished himself to hell.
* * * *
Patience wasn’t in hell. She was in room 256 in the Aurora Villa of the Helios resort.
And she wasn’t a happy camper.
Once more, she struggled against her bonds, tethered as she was to Nicodemus. She couldn’t figure out how to break free. They were attached by some sort of infernal metal substance she didn’t recognize, and she couldn’t loosen the bonds. The crazy chain was looped around her middle with a small length of the stuff between them and was fastened on the other end to the demon’s wrist. She felt like a misbehaving child in a hellish preschool, leashed to an unfeeling teacher. “You let me go this instant!”
She tugged on the chains again, but only succeeded in tiring herself out further. In fact, each motion, each little struggle, made her feel foggier. Who was kidding whom? Each blink of her eyes made her feel, well, more deceased. Still, she persisted in fighting back in the hopes she’d break the chain and could find Apollo again.
Apollo! What must he be thinking? He’d be in agony over this. He’d be blaming himself.
What she’d give to see his face again.
“I mean it, Nicodemus. Release me.”
The demon took little note. He was too busy rummaging in the room’s safe. “Stop squirming, human! You’ll just make it worse. The more you fight, the more you’ll fade away. Comprende?”
Instead of complying, Patience clunked Nicodemus over the head with the flat of her hand.
“Hey!” He turned and batted at her swatting hands.
“Yeah, well you killed me! I’m not really thrilled with you right now.” She looked about the room, searching for some sort of reason why they’d be there, instead of quivering at the mouth of hell. “Why are we here anyway?”
Nicodemus muttered something under his breath. He pulled an object out of the safe and turned. “Look. When I was dismissed back to Hades after failing in my mission…”
“You mean after failing to murder me the first time?”
“Yeah, yeah. When I got back, my supervisor wasn’t too pleased with my performance. Between you and me, I haven’t been at the top of my game for a while. They gave me this assignment because they figured you’d be an easy mark but, well, I get easily distracted.”
Patience shook her head. “Great. I get the only demon underachiever.”
He growled. “I’m smarter than I look. My captain locked me up in a cell as punishment. What my boss didn’t realize was I borrowed a little something from him first.” He held out the object he’d pulled from the safe. It was a sparkling gem, set as a pendant in a necklace fashioned out of the same material that bound her to the demon. “These types of amulets are handed out to captains in the underworld. They allow one to travel. With it, I was able to escape my cell when the captain wasn’t looking. I figured I’d finish the job, return you to Hades, and I’d get a nice recommendation on my employee file.”
Patience stared. “And you left the amulet in your hotel safe.”
“What?” he demanded, affronted. He placed the amulet around his neck. “Helios has an awesome security system!”
“Nicodemus, you’re not very good at this demon thing, are you?”
The creature sighed. “To be honest, I find the subterfuge a tad overwhelming.” He stared off into the distance, wistful. “Life was so much easier when I was mortal and had a real career.”
“What did you do?”
“It was a while ago.” The demon broke into a happy smile; at least, it was the happiest she’d ever seen him appear. “I was an executioner back in the French Revolution. Things were so much more clean cut back then.”
Reeling at this information, Patience let him drag her from the room.
“Okay, girlie. Off to your new home!”
He yanked her out of the room and down the hallway. As they ran, Nicodemus put out his hand and conjured up a black mist in front of them. Just before he launched them both into the mist, she heard a cry.
“Patience!”
She and the demon turned around, only to see Doris and Angie standing there.
“Oh shit,” mumbled Nicodemus. “This just hasn’t been my week.”
Patience realized he’d forgotten to disguise them in demon camouflage. Doris and Angie stood still, their jaws open and their eyes wide. The women were taking in every detail, from the chain around Patience’s middle to the demon’s horrible, pockmarked skin.
Angie recovered her ability to talk first. She wrinkled her nose. “Patience, why are you attached to that thing?”
Nicodemus bristled. “No need for that.”
“Jesus Christ,” swore Doris. “Is this fucking Hallowe’en? And why have you tied up my friend, dipsheet?” She advanced on Nicodemus, her index finger pointed at his face.
“Stay back, guys,” Patience warned, more woozy now. All the running had worn her out. She just wanted to sleep … for a long time.
“That’s right, stay back,” the demon concurred in an uneasy voice. “Or I’ll take you with us!”
Angie frowned, her pretty green eyes narrowing to angry slivers. “Our friend’s not going anywhere with you, buster. Patience isn’t into bondage. I’m the one who’s into bondage!”
“You heard her,” threatened Doris, her hand on her jutting hip, her Czech accent thicker than ever. “Take those chains off her, or I will fuck you up, Communist-style.”
Patience swayed, and her eyes felt so heavy. Why wouldn’t all these people stop talking so loudly? What did a girl have to do to get some sleep around here? Without meaning to, she leaned on Nicodemus.
The demon picked her up as deftly as he could, considered they were tethered to each other. “That’s it, princess. Close your eyes. I’ll take you home.” He darted his bulbous eyes at Doris and Angie. “Now, back off you annoying harridans. In my day…” He trailed off, moving his hand in a cutting motion to symbolize the guillotine.
Patience could barely see through her droopy eyelids. She wound her arms around the demon’s neck and laid her head on his shoulder. “Nighty night.”
The demon chortled. “You heard her, girls,” he taunted Angie and Doris. “Nighty night!”
With that, he escaped into the black mist and Patience began her sleepy journey to hell.
Chapter 18
Apollo stood still at the mouth of hell, tense, watching and waiting. Where were they? Had they beat him here? Was Patience already lost to him?
No. He just knew it. He felt it in every bone. She wasn’t here yet.
There was a swishing sound behind him on the River Styx. He turned briefly and spied Charron the hellish ferryman, gliding down the river toward him. Charron offered him a ghastly grin, as if understanding Apollo’s intentions, and doubting his ability to follow through with them.
“Fuck you, you creepy son of a bitch,” he muttered to the ferryman. He turned around. “Your boat’s staying empty tonight.”
For a long time, Apollo stood there, his gaze glued to the unending darkness ahead of him, while Charron stood sentry behind him on the water. Apollo clutched a vial of shimmering liquid, and had to remind himself not to squeeze the bottle so hard it shattered.
Where are you, Patience?
Finally, after what felt like hours, he heard a shuffling sound somewhere in front of him in the pitch landscape. He fingered the vial, running his thumb over the lip of the bottle. Allowing his eyes to glow golden, he let their light shine into the darkness.
Nicodemus was carrying a limp, unconscious Patience. Just the sight of her in another man’s grip, okay, another beast’s grip, made him want to spit blood. She was his, no one else’s, and he would make her his forever. It was what she wanted too.
Maybe she wouldn’t want to be subjected to the ritual, but there was no choice.
What if it doesn’t work? What if it kills her?
He blinked his eyes hard and dismissed the frantic thoughts racing through his brain.
The demon shuffled closer and huffed, spying the vial of liquid. “Seriously, dude? The nectar? After all my trouble? That just stinks.”
“Give her to me. Now.”
Nicodemus let out a great, stinky sigh and handed over his burden with reluctance. “I’d better not get into shit with Hades because of this.”
Apollo spared him a glance as he laid Patience on the cold ground. “Fuck off.” He turned quickly to Charron. “You too.”
The demon boarded Charron’s boat, and the pair of ghouls floated away.
In their place, Hades appeared, standing over Apollo’s and Patience’s forms. He eyed Apollo with something that looked suspiciously like concern. “Have you given her the nectar yet?”
“I’m just doing it now.” He pried open Patience’s closed mouth and grimaced. The smell of death was already clinging to her. Her pallor was ashen. He couldn’t feel a pulse in her throat.
“Hurry,” urged Hades. “I’ve never seen the ritual conducted on one so far gone. I’ve only ever known it done to those who are still, uh, alive and kicking.” He crouched next to Apollo. “This might not work.”
“I know,” Apollo cried. “I know! Just let me do it in peace.” Hands shaking, he tipped the liquid into her mouth and it pooled there. She wasn’t even swallowing, she was so … dead to the world. He massaged her throat, helping the liquid to ease its way down. Some of the nectar dribbled at the corners of her mouth, leaving a sparkling trail around her lips. He wiped it with a finger, and inserted his finger into her mouth so she received the full dose. After a moment, he removed his hand from her face and stared at her.
He and Hades stared for half an hour, even though it felt like a day.
As despair took hold of his being, he finally dared to whisper, “How long does it take?”
He heard Hades swallow. “It’s supposed to take effect immediately.”
Apollo ran a trembling hand through his hair. “Can we do something?”
“Not even Zeus can influence the outcome of the ritual. It either works, Apollo, or it doesn’t.” He laid a hand on his nephew’s shoulder. “I really am sorry. She seemed lovely.”
Apollo felt his head move from side to side. “No. No, this isn’t happening.”
“If you’d like, I can take her away myself.”
He roared, “No!” Apollo stood, and gathered Patience in his arms. “I’m not letting her go!”
Hades stood and sighed. “Look, kid, it’s best not to drag this out. Believe me, I know better than anyone.”
Apollo could barely see for the fury mixing with tears in his eyes. He gulped at air, any air he could snatch in that foul place. “No. She stays with me.”
“Apollo, if the nectar hasn’t transformed her blood into the sacred ichor by now, it isn’t going to happen. What do you plan to do? Bring a corpse to Olympus?”
“Don’t you dare call her that! She’s not dead.” Tears ravaged his face, streaking hot rage down his cheeks.
Hades stared. “Fine, do what you will. But whatever you decide, don’t cling to her so long she eventually turns into something you no longer recognize. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but you won’t have much time before she … changes.”
Apollo let out a savage cry and held her tighter. His eyes stinging, he buried his face in her hair and let his grief take him. “My sweet baby.”
They stood there for some time before Hades put a hand on his arm, and Apollo realized, for the first time, he was strangely glad for his uncle’s company.
Hades shook him gently. “Go home, Apollo. There’s nothing for you here.”
He met his uncle’s gaze and a world of understanding passed between them.
And then, still holding onto his dead lover, Apollo took flight and headed to Olympus.
* * * *
He took her to his Olympian home, a bright, airy villa set among tranquil gardens and rivers. As soon as he touched down on the fragrant earth, his flock of white swans honked and rushed to greet him. The beautiful birds took one look at him and at Patience. As if understanding, they retreated with a sad waddle.
He flew with her into his bedroom, a spacious room that overlooked his prized apple orchard. And even though the scent of sweet apples flooded his senses, he could not be cheered.
Apollo laid her on his bed, what should have been their bed, and climbed on next to her. He rolled her toward him, gathered her in the softest, yet fiercest, of embraces, and whispered words of undying devotion. He kissed her lips and her closed eyelids, feeling for any flutter of movement.
There was none.
“I will love you forever,” he vowed.
And then Apollo held his woman and didn’t move for a very long time.
Chapter 19
Patience tried to peer through her sticky eyelashes, opening her eyes a crack, but saw only hazy, muddy shapes. And she seemed to be up against a brick wall, because her nose was pressed up against something very hard. Or something very muscular.
She lay there, unmoving, and unable to move. She fluttered her eyelids once or twice, and even that tiny motion set her heart racing. Everything hurt inside, as if each of her muscles and bones had been smashed by a huge anvil. Her body parts felt unglued, unstitched, and she doubted she had a needle big enough to sew her back together again.
She couldn’t even gather her wits enough to let out a crazed breath, and at the same time, didn’t seem to be suffering for lack of breath either.
She just was.
It seemed she lay up against the hard surface for decades, confused but also oddly comforted by its weight. And as her blood seemed to pick up speed in her veins, scattered memories dashed through her consciousness.
Each one screaming Apollo’s name.
Apollo. Apollo.
Oh, God, where was he? Where am I? Is this hell?
She was supposed to be in hell, that much she remembered. Maybe they’d locked her up somewhere. That would explain the heavy weight winding around her body.
Only it felt like a strong arm.
Wait.
Move. Say something. Just breathe, dammit. Anything!
She harnessed all the power in her body, which didn’t feel like much, and tried to press air through her windpipe. The noise that emerged sounded like a soft fart. And as ridiculous as it was, it was enough to get the attention of whatever was holding her down.
