HAPPY NEW YEAR!

'We had each other, no amount of distance could change that...'

Casa Blanca

We were lying together in bed, my back pressed against his, my head tucked over his arm and our feet tangled together under the light, grey sheet.

We were both looking out from the large window to the side of the bed, the horizon black and filling the room with darkness. The breeze was cool, and the only noise from our light breathing. His chest moved against mine with a steady rhythm.

Thanatos nestled the side of his face onto my cheek, his beard pricking my skin. I snuggled deeper into his embrace.

"It's so peaceful." He said with a soft, whispering voice.

I smiled; "Hmm..."

Today was the day I moved to mount Olympus for a while, until my ascension, and it was time for Thanatos to head out on a long hunt for Sybaris.

If anything, today was going to awful. Just plain awful.

The air was quiet; no birds chirping no howl of the wind and no movement.

Just us. Like we were the only two people in the world...

"I'm going to miss this." It was the softest whisper, but Thanatos heard everything.

"I don't know if I've told you this before, but..." He pulled me closer, tightening his arms around my body and pressing his lips to my ear. "This is my favourite time of the day."

"Dawn?"

He nodded and I could feel the smile on his lips as he pecked at my ear; "Or in Latin- Aurora..."

I chuckled softly; "Clever man..." I turned around to face him, the need to see his smouldering eyes too great to disregard.

He grinned; "I try."

I traced a finger down his nose, enjoying the feel of his skin. Thanatos closed his eyes as my finger trailed a path all around his tanned face. From his plump lips and his hard jaw, to his dark, thick eyebrows and finally, his eyes.

"You must've been told this a thousand times, but you're so handsome."

Thanatos kept his eyes closed as I feathered my finger over his long lashes; "A thousand times, and yet when you say it, it feels like the first."

I smiled at his words. He was so good with them- he always knew what to say.

"Tell me something..." I wanted to hear his voice again; that smooth accent, the deep huskiness, the way he always sounded so collected.

Thanatos smiled, but kept his eyes closed, my finger still trailing up to his forehead. "The rings around the planet Saturn are mostly made of chunks of ice and small amounts of carbonaceous dust-"

I laughed loudly and lightly pushed him on his bare chest; "Not that!"

He laughed; "Then what do you want me to say, Psychi mou?"

"Tell me something about you that I don't know."

Thanatos opened his eyes. They were filled with earnestness. He took his time to think, his fingers reaching up to my lips, tracing their outline. My eyes drooped at the relaxing feeling.

"When I was younger, I used to love it when my little sisters begged me to play with them." I raised my eyebrow, not at all expecting that answer. He smiled at the memory; "I always had to pretend to be a far-away prince, come to rescue them, and yet they were always too stubborn to let me save them."

I laughed at the thought- he's undoubtedly the most adorable big brother I could imagine.

"Just like you..." He tucked a loose hair behind my ear. I smiled down at the sheets.

Thanatos' whisper was soft; "And here comes the sun..."

The sun.

I turned my head to the horizon. How ironic was it that the sign of the sun, washing away the darkness, was the call to the end of our time for now. Just like with Apollo and his daunting orders.

I turned my head back to him, knowing it would soon be time for us to get up and face the world. I scooted closer, until I felt his bare chest against mine; "I'm not ready yet..."

He knew what I meant.

Thanatos ran his hand through my hair and pulled my face closer; "Then let's make love until you are."

"Now remember, don't push too hard with the current generation; you know what happened last time. Oh, and don't forget to track your progress; I also need a detailed guide on any side-effects you may feel, like nausea or-"

"Thanatos," I laughed as he listed all the things that didn't matter at that moment; "Relax, I'll be fine. I promise." I touched his cheek, my fingers floating over the hard beard forming on his jaw. He looked exceptionally handsome and rugged today, the light reflecting off his dark locks, creating a halo.

Thanatos nodded and tried to smile, but we both know it was fairly useless; this was an awful moment.

This was our first 'goodbye'.

He sighed and looked up, to our side. Apollo was talking to Hypnos at the gates of the large palace, Artemis at his side. Trita, Sonya and Barrios were all standing off to the side, talking and chatting until the final goodbye.

Barrios was going along with Hypnos and Thanatos to hunt down Sybaris in accordance with Apollo's orders, while us girls stayed here, on mount Olympus. It was far too easy tricking Apollo into allowing me to bring Trita, Sonya and Trimorphe here with me- he believed them to be my handmaidens, and Trimorphe was obligated to follow me wherever I went.

At least the snowy leopard purring at my feet gave Thanatos some, even if it were faint, reassurance. Trimorphe and Death's shadow were cooing and purring at each other in seemingly a language only they knew. They looked deep in conversation.

"I don't like leaving you here, with them..." I knew he meant Apollo and Ares, even perhaps Dionysus, but there was nothing he could do. Orders were given. Obligations had to be fulfilled.

"And I don't like you running around looking for an ancient vampire."

"She's easy enough to kill, it's her damn children that always get in the way, but that's not the point here. I'll be more than fine. I-" Thanatos paused, his eyes giving off so much angst. I tried to stay calm and cool-headed for the both of us; "I should've prevented this."

I shook my head; "How could you have known?"

"I don't know." It hurt me so much when he sounded so pained. I felt it to; it was so hard imagining him not holding me in the mornings, like today. I didn't want to cry, but I felt the tears prick in the corner of my eye.

I kept them inside; "It won't be long; soon. Right?" I looked up at him with a smile; it was getting really hard being the optimist in the relationship when all I wanted was for him to sweep me away.

He smiled down at me, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Of course. Soon. I promise."

What made this even worse was the fact that we were in the middle of a civil war, neither side truly being aware of it just yet. So much danger was hanging around every corner; I didn't want to think it, but-

But could this be it for us?

No. No, I need to stop thinking like this...

We'll make it thought this- we had each other, no amount of distance could change that.

I felt the need to tell him that as I saw him clench his jaw at the horizon. "Darling..." I pulled him towards me, not caring if the others were watching from afar. They didn't matter right now.

"Please, just be safe." I held him close. Thanatos buried his face in my hair, his eyes closed.

He shook his head; "Aurora, please, for the love of Uranus, don't do anything reckless."

I nodded; "So long as you promise me the same thing."

He nodded and pulled me back slightly so he could trace his thumb across my lip. He stared at my mouth for a while, just savouring the sound of my breathing, remembering it. "I think I might go insane without you..."

"Time flies when you're chasing overgrown bats." I tried to lighten the mood, but even I was starting to contemplate insanity.

He chuckled despite himself; "That was an awful joke... I'm going to miss those."

"My jokes are great, shut up." I laughed and pressed his hand against my cheek, enjoying his warmth.

Thanatos scoffed teasingly, pinching my cheek; "Stay safe, sugar-muffin..." He said it with a smile, but his tone was laced with sadness.

My nodded, my smile fading; "Hurry home."

He bent down to gently press his lips to mine, almost like he was kissing glass. It was soft and tender, filled with deep, brimming love. I felt his desperation claw through, like a rabid animal- lost and manic. The kiss grew passionate and overwhelming as he grabbed me closer, pushing my face against his. Thanatos' hands locked around my frame and his groan of lust was clouded with pain.

I didn't bother pushing him away, even as I felt their eyes on us. I couldn't care less.

I pulled him inhumanly close, exerting all my passion and possessiveness in one kiss. One long, desperate, yearning kiss...

We both pulled back with a gasp, our air supply dangerously low. Our eyes found the others and at that moment, I knew that I'd never be able to love like this. Never again. "I love you."

Thanatos grabbed the back of my head with his hand, pulling me closer to him, my hands still clutched onto his armoured vest. His voice was beautiful; sincere and true; "I love you more than anything, my angel. Forever."

I felt a tear drop down and quickly wiped it away and replaced it with a small smile; "Forever."

"You'll be fine. I will make certain of that."

I nodded against his hand still keeping me close to his face, his eyes searching mine. "I know."

"No blood on your hands, remember?"

"I remember." I swallowed hard, trapping in my tears and steeling my heart against any more sorrow and longing. I would be strong.

Thanatos smiled; "Now, bear in mind that the blood manipulation will take a some strain on your brain, mentally, but keep at it at least once a day, for about a period of twenty minutes, and it should get easier to direct the focus on-"

"Thanatos..." I stopped him, my hand squeezing his; "Don't bother distracting me; you're the only thing I want to think about right now. I don't want to-" I licked my lips; "I want to remember this moment. All of it."

He didn't say anything, but instead just leaned in and embraced me in his strong arms, filling me up with love. He held me for a few minutes; his lips gently pressing against the crown of my head. I pulled back to find his eyes on Apollo; they were filled with murderous thoughts.

"You have to go..." I nodded to the new king, his irritated expression very evident. He kept his arms crossed as Thanatos glowered at him.

"It appears so." Thanatos sighed softly; "I'll be right back." He kissed my hand, closing his eyes at the touch of my skin.

I watched as he walked towards the sun god, his stride full of purpose. Apollo nodded his head as he neared. I felt my heart ache and drag along behind him.

The rest of the gang moved to stand beside me, to distract me or comfort me; I couldn't really be bothered to try and interact. My eyes were glued to his face, watching him talk.

Living with half a soul for a while was going to be far from painless...



My eyes found hers as she watched me from across the garden, Apollo's insistent chatter keeping me from appreciating her beauty.

Gods, and was she beautiful...

Her blue eyes were particularly big and clear today, but filled with so much angst. It hurt me physically seeing her like this. I thought about dragging her away to some far off island, to lock her away from the world, but that was selfish, and yes, I was selfish, but not when her feelings were involved.

I tore my gaze from hers. One more second and I'd be racing over there, hauling her over my shoulder and sweeping her off to wherever we'd never be found again.

My foot actually moved towards her, but I managed to stop myself. Apollo gave me a strange look and stopped his instructions; "What is it?"

I ignored his question and everything he'd mentioned, instead turning my hard gaze to his; "I know why you're doing this."

He rolled his eyes, keeping his arms locked in front of him; "Wha-"

"I know you know who killed him."

Apollo's eyes widened slightly. I kept my voice low and hushed, but my glare was loud enough for him to know just how much I loathed his being; "I also know that you think you're safe. But let me tell you now, he's killed one king, what makes you think he won't kill the next?"

Apollo realised that this wasn't a conversation he'd expected to have with me. He leaned in, his eyes darting to the others; "What are you saying?"

"You made a grave mistake taking me out of the loop. I'm your first and best line of defence."

He fixed his eyes onto mine, examining them; "How can you be so sure I had nothing to do with it?"

"We both know you had no need to dirty your hands. You're smart enough to lap up the consequences."

Apollo nodded, his face sombre; "He won't kill me. I have too many followers. Zeus was old and weak."

I titled my head and fixed him with a raised eyebrow; "Do you really think Ares is one for rational thought? Being king has made you more of target than you were a few months ago. Back then you were a rival for the throne, now you are the throne."

"And I have the power of the throne." Apollo gritted his teeth; "He's not stupid enough to start a war, he has minimal support."

"What were you really doing in Tartarus that day?"

Apollo sighed and looked around, making sure we weren't overheard; "Checking something."

"You're right to that Cronus is involved. The sickle, I'm sure you know, is his."

"I know. And I know you have the Aegis."

This piece of information startled me. My eyes widened with shock and my tone went even lower; "What?"

"Aphrodite let it slip. She knows more than she's letting on. I want Aurora to form a bond with her, to find out more."

If Aphrodite knew, then Ares knows for sure. She most probably heard it from him somehow. What a mess this is turning out to be. Who was on what team? When does the real bloodshed start?

"You're using Aurora now? How dare you?" I leaned in, my hiss menacing.

Apollo shook his head with a laugh; "You know how we operate Thanatos, you included. Relax, Aurora won't come to harm here. I have no ill-intentions towards her; or you. Believe it or not."

"Try not to be too surprised if I say I don't." I felt my fist curl up. Apollo really liked to push his boundaries. Regicide didn't sound too bad all of a sudden.

"Look, I need Sybaris out of the quotation, as do you. Do that, and you're free to have your precious mortal back."

"If you're still alive by then." It wasn't just me who wanted Apollo dead by now. Every king has his opposition and his main threat lived right under his nose.

"Your confidence in my abilities is annoying."

"Why did Aphrodite tell you about the Aegis?"

Apollo examined his nails; "I forced it out of her, she was drunk at the party last week. I took my chance. Ares keeps her under a tight lock, as you know. But I think he suspects something. He's distant."

I sighed and shook my head; "I can't believe I'm saying this; but be careful. If you die, Aurora's stuck in a literal warzone."

"Your concern warms my heart."

I scoffed; "Fuck off, Apollo. You're a son of a bitch."

"Probably why we were such good friends back in the day..." His eyes bore into mine with unsaid words. What was he trying to do? Bring up the past? Did he really think that would make me sentimental or sympathetic to his cause? He must know me better than that by now...

I leaned in, my eyes piercing; "I don't think I need to say this to you, but I will, just in case you think I might've been joking before..." Apollo already knew what was coming, but he still leaned back a bit in apprehension.

"If you touch Aurora, in any way, I will kill you myself. I can easily make it look like Ares was the culprit and I'd be happy to take on whatever consequences come after that. Do not test me. Do you understand?"

Threatening the king wasn't exactly permissible, but it was on the very top of my to-do list for the day.

Apollo smiled and nodded knowingly, but kept his distance; "Don't worry; I know when not to overstep my boundaries. Like I said, she will not come to any harm. You have my word."

"Your word means nothing to me, Apollo." I shook my head, my eyes narrowed.

We stared at each other for a while, neither willing to break the wall. It was odd to think how close we were once; now, we had nothing but detest for one another.

Apollo spoke in a hard whisper, "I want this mission done in no more than two months. I'll give you a week before I want a report on everything. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good. Cut his advantage, while Aurora and I work on another. Soon, we'll be able to advance."

I gritted my teeth, but kept my voice controlled; "Take it from a man who's seen too many wars, Apollo..." I leaned in till our faces were inches away; "It's never that easy."

He searched my eyes and I watched a sliver of dread at his decision to remove me from the picture trickle in. Either this was going to work in our favour, or Ares was going to pull the plug and bring down an avalanche of blood.

Now there was a chance I wouldn't find out until it was too late. I turned to leave.

"You really love her, don't you?"

I stopped dead, the echo of Apollo's soft voice odd in my ears. He sounded just like he used to when we were kids- curious. I turned my head so I could meet his eyes, mine filled with sincerity.

"I would gladly die for her. As long as she's happy and safe, I couldn't care less about what happens to me."

Apollo nodded once, but said nothing else. There was nothing to say.

I dropped my gaze and returned it to the front. She was standing beside Hypnos, his arm around her shoulder, comforting her, but Aurora looked like she was on another planet. She wasn't bothered with any of their concern, her eyes fixed on the ground in thought. A familiar crease formed in between her brows. I ached to smooth it down with my finger.

I walked over to them, the sound of Apollo creating a portal sounding off behind me. Time was up. We had a schedule to keep.

I cleared my throat, bringing everyone's attention towards me, including Aurora's. She swallowed, knowing it was time.

"Well, let's go." I nodded to Barrios and my brother, my expression dead and emotionless.

They nodded. Barrios turned to Sonya, his wide eyes calculating. He held her close and she pressed her lips to his ear, whispering goodbye. They kissed and I pulled Aurora away from the small huddle.

I watched as Hypnos looked down at Trita. The young girl was blushing wildly as she felt his gaze on her face.

She cleared her throat; "So... See you later?"

Hypnos rolled his eyes and grabbed her chin. He smacked his lips onto hers, nearly knocking her off her feet. Aurora and I had to contain our laughter as Trita struggled against his grip, her eyes wide and her cheeks blood red.

When he left go and turned to leave, Trita tugged at his hand, having had some time to recover; "Hey! Who said we were done?" She pulled him back for another kiss, Hypnos chuckling against her lips.

We gave them their privacy. Aurora wrapped her arms around mine; "Stay in contact. I don't know how, but..."

"I'll find a way." I tightened my grip on her. We hugged for a few seconds, until I heard Apollo's foot begin to tap in the distance.

An axe would be fabulous right about now.

I pulled back, letting my thumb trace her cheek one more time; "I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled, bringing me in for a deep kiss.

I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, savouring the feel of her soft blonde locks. I swallowed and turned to leave.

The portal was wide and tall, large enough to fit the three of us. The rest of my men I'd selected for the task were already waiting for us by the base camp- the last location Sybaris had been spotted.

I pulled my hood over my head and adjusted my gloves as Apollo spoke; "Good luck gentlemen... May your hunt be successful."

I nodded once, my mouth set in a grim line. Hypnos and Barrios pulled up their hoods and I stepped forward to the portal, my two lieutenants at my sides. I kept my head forward as I spoke, my last words to Apollo, before we sky-rocketed through space, laced with malice;

"Two months. Try not to die..."

So Apollo's intentions are revealed and we have one less suspect. Of course Apollo didn't have to lift a finger to get the crown. He took advantage of the mess and thinks himself to be invincible, but is he right?

Psychi mou- my soul

NEXT UPDATE- 3rd of January

Apollo-