Image Reference: https://mythologysource.com

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Scylla was a supernatural female creature, 

She had 12 serpentine feet and six heads on long snaky necks, 

From her lair in a cave, 

She devoured whatever ventured within reach, 

Including six of Odysseus's companions.

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I don't want to lie, but being in school was torture. Apart from the fact that we had an unannounced quiz, trying to concentrate while searching for Epimetheus' potential vessel was difficult. I could barely focus on my studies.

The titan was watching, I could feel it.

Once in a while, the white swirls adorning my body will writhe uncontrollably in the form of a caress. It left me uncomfortable, but it also confirmed the titan's presence. My notion was backed up by the continuous message notifications that kept popping up on my phone.

I ignored them, knowing it will only spiral me into a frenzy. No one seemed to notice the silver decorations on m skin, which meant it was only visible to greek beings. The knowledge brought an air of relief; I didn't need to find an excuse every time someone asked.

School went by in a blur and soon we were back in starcrossed inc. We converged at the main club which was a massive building with high walls. A set of disco lights swung from the highest ceiling, displaying flashing colors of red, blue, and purple.

The dance floor was huge and I could hear the bass music as it wafted passed the curtains to the VIP section where I sat. The curtains separated the balcony from the inner chambers. I got to my feet and drifted closer to the red drapes before parting them with a finger.

Past the balcony to the ground floor were greek awakened monsters as far as the eyes could see. The place was even bigger than the previous nightclub. They came in different shapes and sizes. Others were in their human forms while some remained true to their monstrous nature. A few had to use the Phantom ability to hide certain odd features. They writhed against each other as they swayed to the music. It was hard to believe that they all came here at Zion's request.

At the very back, I caught a few gorgons sidling close to Hunter in a seductive manner. He wore a black cotton vest that clung to his slender body and ended in baggy cargo pants with boots. To top it off, he wore black arm sleeves that matched his attire.

Hunter reflexively drifted to Dimitri who stood by a table with a cocktail fountain. Dimitri filled his glass with the odd drink and emptied it down his throat. Seeing the god of wine, the female gorgons maintained a wide berth between them and him. I'm willing to bet Dimitri and Dionysus were equally conscious.

A few monsters stared at the godly couple, recognizing who they were but not making a step close. Dimitri was too busy gulping his glass content to notice. Hunter was holding a puppy in his arms and I recognized it immediately.

A german Shepherd. The one Dimitri gifted him.

Cerberus.

Said friend wound an arm over Hunter's shoulders. His height towered over the triplets' frame as he whispered something to him with glowing purple irises. His fingers caressed the triplet's curly hair while glancing at the female monsters that kept side-eyeing them. A blush lit up over Hunter's face. He shook his head fervently.

I turned my attention to the other creatures in the building. Eros had mentioned that some monsters will recognize me as Pandora and ignore my presence. The other monsters, however, especially those close to greek gods, would try to kill me. Eros had asked that I should be vigilant and not trust every greek creature carelessly.

Hopefully, when Zion officially announces me as his ally, the murderous intent will loosen a bit. Shifting my gaze through the curtain to the balcony, I spotted Zion and Liam. They stood side-by-side as they both watched over the growing crowd.

Liam leaned his elbows on the railings and muttered something under his breath. I caught a whiff of Zion's faint smile just before someone tapped me on the shoulder. I jerked out of the way and turned to see a familiar guy from school.

Vanni waved enthusiastically at me. His baggy shirt and jeans gave an impression of melted ice cream. My eyes swept to his cousin, Killian, who stood by a bookshelf. His fingers skimmed the spines in wonder before turning to an art over the fireplace.

The two were monsters who claimed to be servants of Eros. They were appointed by him to look after me from a distance. Killian was a griffin who, by nature, has a little obsession with Zeus. I could tell with how he kept glancing at Zion like he was a walking celebrity. According to Greek mythology, Griffins are warriors of Zeus so I couldn't blame him. Vanni, on the other hand, was yet to awaken his monstrous form.

"What are you doing here?" I said to him with a tense smile.

He crossed his arms and I noticed his man bun was haphazardly arranged. "What am I doing in Eros' secluded quarters which are off-limits to monsters and bouncers? I'm here to thank you."

"For what?"

"For bringing Zion here." The piercing on his nose and lips stretched as he smiled. "You convinced him to speak with us at the library. If it weren't for you, this meeting wouldn't take place."

I pursed my lips now wondering for a moment if he was Epimetheus' vessel. Vanni watched me expectantly, waiting for me to say something.

"I--"

"Ladies and gentlemen! Greek beings of Old!" Eros' voice boomed across the place as he stood beside Zion. His arms were wide as he gestured to the monsters below. The music stopped as everyone turned their focus to him. "I am Eros, matchmaker, and the god of sacred love!"

He gestured to the triplet at his side. "Beside me stands Zion, god of thunder, and ruler of the entire Greek pantheon."

There were murmurs as they all turned to Zion, scrutinizing him. His hands tightened against the railing and his jaw ticked with every second. An imaginary wall fell over his features as he faced the tumbling waves of attention with a hard stare of his own.

I was a bit relieved when Eros introduced him as Zion and not Zeus. The monsters didn't object to that as they stared at the triplet. It only sealed the fact they saw Zion just as the god he carried.

They saw him as Zeus.

Eros continued his speech. "Besides our king stands one of the seven deadly creatures of Pandora, the sin of Lust, also known as the god of Lust. My brother, Himeros."

The murmurs grew louder as they Zeroed in on the sin. Liam frowned at his godly name before giving a sideways glare at Eros. He didn't bother to hide his cat eyes as he glanced back to the crowd. As someone meant to be Zeus' enemy, it was quite surprising to find the Sin standing beside him while being acknowledged by another god.

The god of love went on. "We also have another..." his hand gestured to an empty space beside him. I instantly knew what that meant. I turned to Vanni and Killian only to find them gone.

Well, that wasn't surprising.

Taking a deep breath, I walked through the curtains and grabbed Eros' hand. He urged me to the space at his side. "...Pandora, bearer of Chaos and an ally to Zeus. She will go by the name, Penelope."

The crowd erupted. Fingers pointed accusingly at me as they spoke with hate in their eyes. I felt my heart thrash at the sight of it all, wanting to step back but Eros squeezed my hand encouragingly as if to say;

Wait for it...

The noise got unbearable when more profanities kept surfacing. Some accused me of being a Titan's lover while others expressed their uneasiness now that I was here with a sin as well. The obscenities kept coming until a roar tore through the chaos. "Enough!"

The place went deathly still as all eyes turned to Zion. His irises were ghastly white as he looked over the monsters huddled before him. "You all asked for a king, now you got one. Penelope is an ally, someone we need on our side. She could sway the other sins..."

As Zion spoke, my eyes went to Hunter and Dimitri who were now sitting on a sofa. Hunter absently petted Cerberus as he watched the scene unfold. Dimitri had a protective arm behind the triplet as he watched us. He gave a friendly smile and winked at me.

I felt myself smile back at the warm gesture. "Why didn't you introduce Hunter and Dimitri?"

Eros' lips curved into a smirk. "Hunter isn't very keen on being the center of attention, so Zion respected his wishes. Dimitri stayed back to look after him." He shook his head. "It's puzzling to see Dimitri go to lengths for the little guy."

I stared at the god. "Do you think they..."

"Oh, it's love alright. I'm yet to figure out what kind. It'll be easier to find out if I just fed on one of them."

I arched an eyebrow at him. "You are not feeding on Hunter."

He chuckled. "Dimitri will strike a duel with me if I so much as touch the boy in any wrong way. And Dionysus will definitely support it. It's hard to find the god of wine caring for another god. And yet his attachment to his vessel is making him...cooperative. It's easy to say that Dionysus has a familiar kind of Love with Dimitri. I wish I could say the same for Zeus and Zion."

I wish I could say the same for Pandora and me.

Zion's voice boomed authoritatively as he emphasized each word. "I was told about your predicament; you think the gods have abandoned you. I beg to differ. The gods are trapped within the consciousness of humans. Only a few have awakened, but they can't provide much help at the moment. There's a war coming. The crocotta leader, Henry, is building an army by forcefully turning humans and inducting them into his pack. He also has a master, the titan, Epimetheus."

More chaos erupted with a few eyes going my way. It took a moment before everything died down with one command from Zion. "Epimetheus managed to trap the gods within humans as well as monsters. He only did it so he could kill the gods. And it's for this reason that we need to build a united front -- both monsters and gods. I am willing to step up as your king so long as you follow and avoid hurting those closest to me. And that includes Pandora and the Sin of lust."

People started murmuring again until a lady shouted from the back. "What if you can't protect us?" The crowd parted as a woman leisurely walked forward. "What if you lose a battle with the titan, leaving us at his mercy? What if you're weak?"

The place was utterly silent and Zion watched her with an apathetic look. "And you must be?"

"My name is Selma, and I'm a Scylla." She flashed her sharp set of teeth as her eyes deepened into a blue glow. "My Sire is nowhere to be found and my people are getting antsy."

Zion watched her for a moment. "A sea monster. Your sire is Poseidon."

Looking at it now, I realized that most of the crowd had divided into three groups. The first group had gravitated towards Zion, and it included griffins, eagles, chimeras, Minotaurs, Harpies, and other sky creatures. The second group surrounded Hunter. It was a mixture of Daemons, Furies, and other beings which exuded a darker energy. The last group consists of pegasuses, cyclops, gorgons, serpents, and other sea creatures. Selma stood proudly before them like a representative.

She hissed at Zion. "You failed to protect your brother and now you claim you can protect us."

I turned to Zion, knowing how Pedro was a touchy subject. Anger flashed in the triplet's eyes momentarily before he muttered. "Fuck it."

He jumped over the railings with balanced ease and the crowd gave way for his landing. Zion touched the ground in a smooth crouch, his eyes deadly as he straightened up. "So in short, you don't think I'm fit to rule. You're declaring a challenge."

It wasn't a question and the place grew deathly still at the statement. Selma looked nervous for a second before she brushed it off into a hard facade. "If that's what it takes to get my Sire back, I will challenge you. With Poseidon gone, Typhon, the father of all monsters, is trying to act in his stead. I bet you didn't notice because you were hiding like a coward in that stupid school. I will never follow a king who turns his back on his people. You don't care about us!"

Zion shrugged. "You're right." 

It's possible you could hear a pin drop from how everything went quiet. My hand tightened with nervousness as Zion continued. "I honestly don't...at the moment. It's hard for me to trust people. And in case you haven't noticed, this whole kingship thing was forced upon me. If I'm supposed to care for someone I will need to see their loyalty."

His eyes glanced at every monster in the room. "And if there is anything I'm obsessed with, it's being protective. I protect those I care about. And that's a flaw I'm coming to terms with. Poseidon's disappearance was completely out of my hands and it hurts me gravelly. That's why I'm willing to kill those who harm him and anyone under my protection. That's a promise."

He leisurely folded his white sleeves to his elbows as electricity sparked around his body. His face fell deadly serious as he spoke to everyone. "My protection will demand your loyalty. And if you don't see me as your protector, please own up. Bring the person you think should take my place."

Zion looked around as people shied away from his gaze. A few remained adamant. The triplet continued. "Take note, anyone who challenges me is posing a threat to those I care about and I will not hesitate to kill them without spite. I've already suffered the consequences of leaving enemies alive."

It took a moment, but something in Zion's words made the groups belonging to Hades and Zeus spur into a reverence action. They all fell to one knee with heads bowed in submission. Zion stilled for a second, completely caught unawares. He buried it instantly.

The monsters were declaring their loyalty, something I didn't expect to be presented with such massive charisma. According to Eros, when greek beings pledge their loyalty, they are offering a promise -- one that will bind them forever. Half of the group belonging to Poseidon followed suit with bent knees and bowed heads. The other half stayed upright with Selma. Their heads were held high as they silently voiced out their opposition.

My hands grew sweaty. "Why is Zion accepting the challenge?"

"He needs to keep an unbending front." Liam moved to my side as he watched Zion with a pursed lip. "The monsters pledged their loyalty because of the promise Zion made and the way he carried himself. They are attracted to people who display a good amount of authority and power. Zion had to assure them that he can be a rock they can rely on -- a warrior and a king who will command his armies and leave no enemy alive. If Zion had shown a hint of fear, it'll only question their faith in him."

Selma and her group stepped forward. They fell into a crouch and began to shift, their beastly eyes set on the triplet. 

So I've been getting a lot of comments asking about Pedro. And I've decided to do a little voting exercise.

Just like we did with making either Liam or Zion the male lead, we are going to do another.🙈

So here it is;

Do you want to get a short Pedro's POV? (Please note, It'll take place in his current capture and we'll be reading through his eyes) 👁️👄👁️

Or

Do you want to go along with the story and meet him when Penny meets him? (It'll be through her eyes, just like the rest of the story).

Your views will be respected because we are trying to create a friendly environment🥰

However, if the total response is not enough, then I guess we'll automatically forfeit it.👉👈

Please don't forget to vote, comment, follow, and share💜💜💜