Hello my children!

Okay, so it's been a month. The holidays got me not knowing what's up and what's down. But, I finally had time amongst the chaos to sit down and write! Yay! 

I hope you like what I've got in store for you, because the next couple chapters are going to be quite the roller coaster! Prepare yourselves...

Enjoy,

Epsilon <3

~

I never wanted to leave the peace and tranquility of my mate's field, but Marcus had begun to get antsy and restless. It was unsurprising, and I found I couldn't hold it against him. My mate may have been created to bide his time, wait for lifetimes to collect the souls of those who were dying, but in recent millennia he'd become a creature of action and battle. He'd forever been changed by God's influence, and there was no pretending otherwise. And, I suspected, this was exacerbated by the fact that I was the one in danger. He never seemed to react well to that. Not that I blamed him. If he was ever in danger, I might lose my mind.

Despite what he'd said before, I knew he knew what the newfound breadth of my powers meant. I was right back where I started. I was an unknown entity, potentially a danger to everything Lucifer loved and the very existence of the Greek gods. Honestly, if they wanted to kill me, I would understand. And I wasn't so sure I would try to stop them. Because wasn't I the threat they should all fear? Wasn't I the danger they would surely claim me to be?

But at the same time, the thought of abandoning my Champion left me feeling cold and empty. Maybe...I had something to live for now, other than just life itself? But would I be willing to fight—to take life—for that? I'd already killed so much. I was tired. Tired of it. Tired of death in general.

So no, I wouldn't take life. But...I'd do my best to defend myself without killing. I wasn't even sure how to do that, but I knew that I had to. I simply was left with no other choice.

"What're you thinking about so hard over there, babygirl?" I was jolted from my thoughts when my mate came from behind, sweeping me up into his strong arms.

"Nothing," I smiled up at him, though that was the last thing I wanted to do at the moment.

His eyes narrowed dangerously. "I think you're lying—"

"Don't we have to get back to Hell? To warn Lucifer and Ammi about what's going on?" I interrupted quickly. "Or do you want Hades and Athena to just show up without any notice?"

He winced, the horrific scenario I'd painted suitably distracting him. "You've got a point there. I don't want my ass on the line for that."

"I wouldn't mind," I giggled, this time genuinely. "Having your butt on the line, that is. It's a very nice butt," I informed him solemnly.

He threw his head back, laughing, and I felt like the god between the two of us. Sobering, he replied, "my ass is always on your line, babygirl. But I don't want it on Luce's."

I scowled at the very thought of anyone other than me having control over my Champion's behind.

"A fair point," I admitted.

He grumbled, nuzzling his warm nose into my neck, "if I weren't certain that we needed Athena—and Chaos knows having Hades around won't hurt, I know he seems like an empty-headed bimbo but he's actually quite the force to be reckoned with, to put it lightly—I wouldn't dare try to bring them to Hell. I mean, fuck this is going to ruffle his feathers. Literally. If you thought it was bad when I suggested bringing you—"

"Bringing? I seem to remember it as kidnapping," I interrupted on an attempted stern note.

He flashed me an absolutely unapologetic smirk before continuing, "Well, like I said, if you thought it was bad when I suggested bringing you, then you should've seen when Ammi wanted to bring her uncle and dad—Norse gods, I remind you—into Hell. He blew his fucking top."

I just blinked at him. Right. I forgot that Ammi was a Norse goddess. I don't know how, maybe because she was so incredibly uncomposed? Regardless, it paid to remember who I was dealing with. And it wasn't as if I was a stranger to powerful beings. My father was one. And, apparently, so was I.

Trippy.

"Well, we should probably get going then, huh?" I prodded gently. I hated to burst his bubble. Despite the fact that he obviously wanted to leave, to act, the longer we spent here, the more he relaxed, the more playful, the truer to himself he became. Perhaps it was because we were (sort of) in Greece. Or maybe because he was getting used to being a god once again. Or, it could be just because...possibly...that I was there with him?

But that seemed ridiculous. It was probably just the god thing.

He sighed gustily, the lines of his body becoming more tense. "I know this was my idea, but I still regret that we don't have more time."

I stood on my tiptoes, reaching upwards, then huffed when I still couldn't reach his cheek. Chuckling, he hooked an arm around me and lifted me so I could do so. I giggled, beaming at him and brushing a kiss on his now stubbly cheek. After a moment, I sobered, looking into his eyes.

"I wish we could stay here forever. But I don't think either of us can relax until we have this crud taken care of. I don't want...I don't want my father hanging over us. You deserve better than that."

He bounced me playfully. "We deserve better than that, Kaiah. Don't sell yourself short." He looked at me carefully. "I feel much better knowing that, now I'm a god again, I can properly protect you, but if I'm honest, I agree with you. He has no right to loom over our happiness. And he won't. That's a fucking promise." The determination and care in his voice made me melt, but I still felt I had to chime in.

"We'll make sure of it." I corrected.

He scowled fiercely. "Of course. But you will do no fighting."

I just smiled at him. If he chose to take that as agreement, that was his issue. I didn't want to fight. I hated it. I didn't want to take even one more life. But I knew I had no choice. I had to help in every way I could—and as much as I may despise it, I was good at dealing in death. And this was my father. This was my blood. I had to do my part.

Seeming satisfied, his mouth curved back into a smile. "Now, I know you enjoy walking, but would you much object to me transporting us to Hell?"

I rolled my eyes. "You know I won't."

He popped my bottom, none too gently, and I yipped, rubbing the hurt and eyeing him balefully.

"No rolling your eyes at me, little girl."

I almost rolled my eyes in response, but I caught myself last minute. Even though, if I were honest, I wouldn't mind another. Still, I had no intention of cluing him into the fact that his punishment might not be as effective as he thought.

Shaking his head at me in mock-disapproval, he smiled at me, and we went flying through dimensions.

When my vision cleared, I recognized the energy and sight of Castle Death instantly. Surprisingly, I relaxed on without thought—what used to terrify me now a beacon of comfort and safety.

"Kai-Kai and—" Ammi's voice cut off, and I turned to see her staring at her friend, eyes wide as dinnerplates. "I know nothing should surprise me at this point, but did you finally hit puberty or something, Marc?"

Lucifer came up behind his high-powered mate and smiled broadly at the sight of his second-in-command. "Welcome back, Thanatos. Long time."

"No shit," my mate agreed heartily. "Good to be back."

Ammi blinked, then grew visibly annoyed. "You and Meg, Transforming and bullshit! Making me all confused as to what I should call you."

The god quirked a brow. "I mean, my given name is Thanatos, but, like Meg, the name Marcus has rather grown on me. Either way is fine." He turned to leave, tossing behind his shoulder, "now, if you'll excuse us—"

"One more question!" Ammi called, and Marcus rolled his eyes to the ceiling and muttered what I assumed to be a litany of Greek curses just loud enough for her to hear.

"Yes, Amirykal?" His begrudging patience was obvious, but it was also obvious that the Queen of Hell didn't give a crap.

"Where's Benjamin?"

Marcus froze for a moment, blinking slowly as horror dawned on his face. Then, his expression smoothed, and he shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, I suppose he's still in the Underworld," he replied casually.

"Oh, if that's all—WHAT?!" Ammi shrieked, gaping at the god like a fish.

Lucifer groaned. "Again? I already went out of my way to grab him the first time he ended up there. I don't want to deal with Hades again."

"Well, good news and bad news," Marcus told him, walking away with my hand still firmly grasped in his. "Good news, you don't have to go grab him. Bad news, Hades and Athena are both coming here. Bye now!"

The angel's furious roar was drowned out as my Champion beat a hasty escape through the halls of the palace.

"That does not count as breaking the news!" I scolded, jabbing him in the shoulder. It hurt my finger.

He kissed my fingertip without pause. "Sure it does. He knows now, doesn't he?"

"Hold the fuck up, you belly-crawling, cowardly Greek canicula!" Lucifer's roar felt as if it shook the stone walls of the castle.

Marcus just shook his head, chuckling. I, however, was justly offended on my mate's behalf.

"What the heck did you just call my mate?" I demanded, breaking from Marcus' hold to march up to the angel. "How would you feel if I called you a turpis porcus, you freaking hoity-toity bird butt!" I whirled to jab an accusatory finger at my mate, "and before you say anything, that does not count as swearing!"

Both males gaped at me, eyes so wide it looked uncomfortable for them. Ammi just grinned, giving me a covert thumbs-up that wasn't covert at all. It didn't surprise me. Though I had no doubt that when it came down to it, Ammi would defend Lucifer with a terrifying ferocity, day-to-day she enjoyed seeing him put in his place by friends.

"You can speak Latin?" Lucifer asked, recovering quickly from his momentary astonishment.

"Of-fuckin'-course she can, Wings! She's a Nephilim. You know, one of your crew? Your damn niece?" Ammi rapid-fired her words like little bullets of sound. Lucifer was unfazed, smacking her on the butt with a wing, none too gently. She jumped, glaring balefully at the angel, but as soon as he looked away, her face transformed into a pleased grin.

Sneaky.

"Don't say mean things about my mate," I huffed to Lucifer, before mumbling, "well, unless he actually deserves it."

That drew a surprised bark of laughter from the angel, startling the both of his. Him, because he didn't expect it, me because it sounded like a crack of freaking thunder.

"Now, Champ, care to explain more fully why Hades and...Athena...are coming here?" I managed to say her name almost without pause. Still, Ammi caught it.

"Oh, we hate this bitch don't we?" She pushed up her sweater sleeves, looking at me. "I can tell we hate this bitch."

"We certainly don't trust her, at the very least," Lucifer agreed, though he pulled his mate back with an arm around her middle, looking somewhat guarded. "Still, no attacking her. She's a goddess."

"So am I! Big whoop."

He sighed. "If you feel you must, I suppose I can deal with the anger of the Greek pantheon. I'll add it to the schedule. I have to pick up Lacedaemon from the Underworld anyways."

He turned to glare at my mate. "But you've yet to answer the damned question, Marc."

In response, he released a sigh of his own. "Yes, I know. It turns out Kaiah's kidnapping was orchestrated by Athena—"

"I fuckin' knew we hated this bitch!" Ammi crowed before Marcus silenced her with a chastising look. She settled down, looking somewhat put out.

"—and it was all a ploy to get my attention. Now both Athena and Hades—albeit for very different reasons, mind you—intend to lend a hand in the Michael situation."

"And I should allow this why?" Lucifer asked carefully, though without an excessive amount of hostility. Well, for him, at least.

Marcus shrugged. "Because without Athena's help, we're back to square one. She's the best strategist I know of in the charted universes, and pretty much our only hope." He pulled me back against him with a muscled arm, and I relaxed into his warmth. "And I refuse to not accept every asset we can get. I want that bastard dead and gone. Soon."

A flash of pain flickered across Lucifer's eyes, before his face hardened and he nodded curtly. "Yes. Dead and gone."

Ammi gripped his hand in two of hers, squeezing, and Lucifer shuddered, closing his eyes. Opening them again, he said, "it will be no more difficult than it was the first time, Rika. I can handle it."

"You may not even be the one to pull the trigger on this one, Luce," my mate warned. "That will be up to Athena's judgement."

The angel tensed, but didn't outwardly argue. He glanced down at Ammi with something unrecognizable in his eyes. "I will leave you two to have your time. I think we may have our own time together for a bit."

Ammi didn't even blush. "Damn right we will." She vaulted into his arms and Lucifer wrapped both his arms and his wings around her before sweeping her down the hallway. I stared, blushing furiously.

"Are they...?"

"Yes." Marcus looked at me with dead eyes. "I, unfortunately, have gotten used to it. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't think of her like a little sister. As it is..."

I flicked my gaze up and down his form. "Well...if you wanted payback..."

His eyes lit up, and he grinned maniacally. "Neither of them have any shame, so I doubt it will work, but we can certainly try." He tapped his chin mock-thoughtfully. "But I don't know..."

I giggled. "Worried your father won't approve?"

Marcus paused, then shook his head. "Anything I do pleases my father. My grandfather on the other hand...I was always a bit too conscientious for him."

I wrapped my arms around his middle, looking up at him. "Why would that be a bad thing?"

He chuckled, "there's a reason I'm always invoking Chaos, babygirl."

I blinked. "Oh my...you mean Chaos with a capital 'C' don't you?"

"Sure as shit do," he grumbled. "He's a cranky bastard, too. You'd think, being Chaos, he'd be at least a cool grandpa. But nope." He shrugged. "He at least likes me better than my sister, Philotes. She's always been the black sheep of the family. But I'm a close second, since even though I take all souls, I only personally reap the ones who've died peacefully."

"But doesn't God make you reap all souls now?" I asked, not sure what part of that sentence to unpack first.

He scowled, and I instantly regretted asking the question. "Yes," he said tartly, though I knew the bitterness wasn't directed at me. "It was a bit of a learning curve, that's for damn sure. It's against my nature."

I squeezed him tighter. "I'm sorry, Champ."

His arms came around me in return. "Not to worry, babygirl. It's an old wound." He released me to cup my cheek, "but I believe we have unfinished business."

"And that is?" I teased, surprising even myself.

Marcus' delighted grin soothed me. Taking my hand, he replied, "why don't I show you?" 

~

And, that's all folks!

...for now. 

I just love writing both of my couples! They're such a contrast.

Thanks for tuning in!

Until next time,

Epsilon <3