24 AD

By the gods, this city smelled. The stench that assaulted Helix's heightened senses was almost enough to make him vomit. Bodies, refuse, animals so, so many smells drifted through Carthage. With a monumental effort he ignored the odors until at least some of them were not quite so strong.

The streets bustled with people going about their daily lives. Merchants, peddlers, soldiers, and citizens going who knows where. Weaving through the crowds Eslein and Helix reached a street near the center of the city. The witch beside him stopped so fast that he had to step to the side to avoid running into her.

"You alright?"

Eslein's eyes were narrowed on a particular doorway. "The haunt."

The door was a simple, plain wood. Above it was a sign that read, 'Brews a Plenty.' At first he did not see anything to cause concern. But there, just to the left of the door leaned a man. His posture was relaxed, shoulder length blond hair hanging neatly, his clothes were well tailored to fit his evenly muscled frame, but it was his eyes that set Helix's instincts roaring. Hazel, shining brighter then any mortals eyes could possibly glow, and looking right at them.
As the two males eyes met, the blond flashed a grin revealing too perfect white teeth.

"Who is that?" Helix asked.

"Cinix." Her voice was tight.

"I take it we don't like him?"

"Cinix Larias is a bastard!" She hissed between clenched teeth. "But, he owns the place. We have to deal with him if we want get in."

"So? Do we just walk by him or by, deal, do you mean I bite him?"

Eslein sucked in a breath and shook her head, clearly ignoring his sarcastic comment. "Keep your voice down. I'll talk to him." She walked forward, still looking pissed. Helix trailed behind her, his gaze again meeting the 'bastards' stare. "Cinix."

The blonde arched and eyebrow at the icy vocalization of his name. "Hello sweet. Been awhile." His voice was a deep, silken song. Soft as satin yet hard as granite. The language Helix recognized as Eslein's.

Instantly the hair on Helix's neck rose. This man before him was a predator. His instincts roared at him to flee! Fighting the urge Helix merely stared, a hand drifting to the small of Eslein's back. She leaned into the touch.

Cinix's eyes darted to the movement, his face an unreadable mask. "New pet?"

Eslein stiffened as Helix released and involuntary snarl. Cinix laughed darkly, followed by a flash of teeth that was anything but friendly. One blink they were normal, perfect, human teeth, the next, every tooth from his canines and back had narrowed into sharp, elongated gleaming points. A feeling of dread curled deeper into Helix's gut as Cinix's appearance returned to normal, save for the brightly shining hazel eyes.

"He is just my guest Cinix." The witch snarled. "We only wish for drinks and lodgings. I believe you still own me a favor? Time to pay it."

As his intense gaze lingered, Helix fought the urge not to look away first. Finally, the hazel daggers shifted back to Eslein. "Of course you are welcome sweet. Him. I am not so certain of. I do not like his scent."

"It's mutual." The words came out quiet, but not weak.

"Helix..." Eslein hissed in warning.

Cinix tilted his head ever so slightly, switching languages to flawless greek as he asked, "What are you?"

This time Helix flashed the grin. Internally wondering if he could learn to shift his own teeth into that of a wolf. Of course trying here, in the middle of a busy street, with an enemy so close was not about to happen.  "I will answer your question in exchange for admittance to your establishment?"

Cinix seemed to weigh the words for a moment then dropped his chin a fraction in a nod. "If you speak truth, that is fair."

A high pitched hum accompanied the words, racking his sensitive ears with pain. Allowing himself only a narrowing of the eyes Helix agreed. "I am a gods blessed, gods damned, exiled prince with a score to settle. Past that, your guess is as good as mine."

For a moment the creature in front of them simply stared. At last, a slight twitch pulled his lips upward. "Welcome to Brews a plenty. Sweet. Helix was it?"

"Yes."

"Thank you Cinix." Eslein quickly cut in, grabbing Helix's hand, half dragging him through the door. The blond's sharp gaze was broken only by the door swinging closed, but thankfully, he did not follow them in. When the latch clicked, Eslein stood on her tip toes and softly hissed into Helix's ear. "You are one lucky fool. Let me do the rest of the talking!"

*~*~*~*~*~*

"If I walk through it what would happen?"

Helix and Eslein sat at a table, nursing their cups of liquor. From this vantage point, a table at the back of the main dining area, they could see straight through a door way that opened onto the road of a strange bustling town.

There was literally a whole town inside this inn. Helix, he could not help but stare at the mind boggling phenomenon. The road and buildings were hewn from some type of bluish green marble. Most having roofs with strange carved creatures at each corner. The light too was different. A strange glow emanating from the ground and rock itself that lit the whole area as far as he could see.

"Then you would have walked through a door."
Helix flicked his eyes to her. The witch sipped from her glass. "There is blackness beyond the lights edge, and that is a different story. They say if you can pass through the dark you will find the Spectral lands. Where the gods, seers and dead dwell. But, everything you see right now is  rooted in our reality."

"This rift, is it different from the one in Dacuma's house? I don't remember seeing any blackness there?"

Eslein's gaze darted about at the mention of Sal, still she answered. "Yes. That rift is closed. A pocket of the Spectral cut off from the whole. Although, she might have had a door somewhere that opened between realms."

"How do you know about all this? Is it common witch knowledge?"

"No." Tension creased her brow. "Tacfarin had Alexa and I study with..." she paused, pondering, "someone from the other side." With that Eslein stood and crossed to the counter.

Helix watched her go. She was so strange. Talking one minute, close lipped the next. He snorted to himself and finished his drink. She was strange? His whole life was strange. Who was he to judge?

A prince, exiled and cursed by Zeus, a homeless boy turned sailor, a chance meeting with a strange woman who somehow gave him Poseidon's blessing, a soldier trained by a witch, now turned wolf beast by Ares. Why? Why did any of this happen to him?

Lost in his thoughts, and the view beyond, Helix was startled when a silky, soft woman's voice purred in his ear, "You are a vassal of War. What brings you here young one?"

Snapping his head toward the voice, he found himself confused as he faced only empty space. Heart accelerating with memories of another woman's seduction, he answered, "Who are you? Where are you?"

"I am here."

Phantom hands brushed his cheek forcing him to look across the dinning area. In a shadowy back corner, sat a figure, wrapped in black robes, a heavy hood pulled low obscuring their features.

Standing Helix grabbed his empty cup and crossed the busy room. Slipping into a chair across from the stranger he attempted to peer through the cloth. "Who are you?"

"Why are you here?"

Cautiously curious, Helix found himself instinctively sniffing the air. The stench of alcohol, food and tightly cramped bodies almost made him swallow a gag. The rift town lent a crisp earthy smell to the mix but, through it all, he focused on a strange metallic scent dancing on the air. It was rich, cold and reminded him of Rosemary.  "I'm looking for someone who can tell me how I might contact Zeus?"

"For what reason?"

"Helix?" Eslein's question was sharp. Crossing the last few feet to the table she looked down blue eyes flicking between the stranger and him.

The stranger rose quickly striding toward the rift town. In his ear or perhaps his mind, Helix heard her again, "I know where he is. Meet me at the temple of Hera alone at dusk, so we may speak further."

"Who was that?" Eslein asked, tracking the vanishing figure.

"Not sure. She wants me to meet her tonight. Says she knows where Zeus is."

Suspicion clouded her gaze. "Then I guess we meet her."

"Alone."

"What?"

"She wanted to meet me alone at the temple of Hera."

Eslein's lips turned to a thin line. "I have the key to our room. We should rest."

Helix followed the witch as she wove her way the spiral stair case. The second floor consisted of a series of hall ways. Bedrooms lined both sides of every passage. Finding the correct door Eslein turned the key and stepped inside. It was a simple space. Clean and comfortable, but not fancy. Against the far wall was a armoire and wash bowl, complete with full pitcher and towel. A chamber pot sat in one corner by a small window. To the left side stood a bed, big enough for two if they were very close. Helix pushed the door closed behind him.

His hands flew to his nose as pain flashed behind his eyes. "What the hell woman!"

"That is for not letting me do the talking and for agreeing to meet some stranger alone at night!"

"She may have information about Zeus." Pulling his hand away, surprisingly not covered in blood from his nose Helix smirked. "Or do you not approve of me meeting a woman."

Her hand shot out again. This time he was ready and caught her wrist. "Let go you dense dog!"

"No."

She swung with the other hand. Helix that one as well.

"Ahhhhg!" She snarled, eyes flashing. "I don't care what you do."

"Your scent says different." A flicker smell emanated from her that made Helix's groin burn.

Eslein's breath caught, her eyes straying to his mouth then back up. Slowly he pulled her closer, his grip steady on her wrists. His own breath thickened as he studied her face. Eyes blue as sky. Skin soft as satin. Lips full and lovely.

"May I-?"

Helix did not get to finish his question as her lips landed on his.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Authors Note:

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How many of you ship them? I'm curious?