Page 3 of Immortal Sun (Dark Olympus)

CHAPTER 3

CYRUS

“Immortals were never meant to play on the same team—but desperate times can call for desperate measures...”-- Zeus

A lex texts me from the car. He’s the last person I’d want to send, everything’s so damn attracted to him that it’s alarming simply walking down the street with him, then again he is family, loathe as I am to admit it. Half siren, half god, what can you do? I’m convinced that all the current immortals running around Seattle ganged up on me and forcefully caused a catastrophe so that I really wouldn’t be the one to pick her up.

It’s like they want me to stay.

Why, though? I’m the one that doesn’t fit in. I’m the one that doesn’t want to be here more than anyone and anything and I let them know on a daily basis I don’t agree with it. They had one job, keep peace between immortals and the humans between all of the different immortal species and while they did a good job, they purposefully got partners in order to power up if you will.

The fact that they didn’t get sent to Hades is still staggering to me, why take the risk on humans anyways? Don’t even get me started on Anubis.

Alex sends a quick text.

Alex

She’s pretty. She hates my plant though, so she’s tied one to one.

Me

What plant?

Alex

The one from Home Depot, it was so small and cute and really wanted to be taken home I couldn’t just say no. It’s just a child, Cyrus! A child!

Me

A plant. It’s as plant.

I could see his hesitation in typing and then suddenly.

Alex

I named it.

Me

Gods save us all.

Alex

Apparently, that’s the plan right or at least your plan, then again, from what I’ve seen in the last few thousand years they merely sit on the mountain and stare at each other admiring themselves for leaving humanity. They don’t do shit.

Me

Text me when you’re close.

Alex

Oh we’re here I told her I was texting my wife because she was worried. Watch out, when she was up from her nap I may have told her an ancient story about elves. Damn it I miss the old costumes.

I slam my phone onto the counter and look around the busy bar. It looks normal, well, as normal as a bar full of immortals can look. Then again mine has one purpose and one purpose only; one last night of humanity before you’re escorted downstairs to Styx. How conveniently lovely that Seattle has such an interesting history of it’s underground. They’re too drunk to care, take their coins and dump them into the small river leading down the cave and before they know it.

Anubis shows up.

It never used to be that way. Anubis used to measure before escorting them to the underworld, but now, now we’re aligned with the Greeks, the Romans, Aztecs, Incas, name it and we’re all on the same team, mainly because there aren’t a lot of us left and over half have failed.

I won’t be one of them.

I prepare myself to see her. All of them are attractive, they can’t help it any more than I can help breathing, it’s all part of Chaos’s plan, darkness is rarely ugly. I grab a glass of whiskey and lift it to my lips just as the door opens. I’m immediately irritated that Alex is blocking the view and then even more irritated when I smell the mixture of the woods, ash, flowers, and the sky behind me.

“Leave.” I hiss while Alex is still standing there.

“Not on your life, hey, aren’t you supposed to be happier?” Anubis grins and takes a seat while Ethan, a vampire with way too much time on his hands, joins him. My brother Horus along with Enki all pull out seats. If they’re taking bets, I wouldn’t so much as blink.

Enki’s just like Anubis he doesn’t know when to shut up, it truly confuses him that people don’t want to hear him fill the air with his honeyed words.

“Suit yourselves. I won’t be here long anyways.” I muttered under my breath.

Horus laughs, I’d recognize it anywhere. “Oh, you poor soul.”

“I’m leaving.” I snap.

“Sure.” Ethan rasps. “We believe you.”

Alex chooses that time to pull her luggage away and walk towards us, grabbing the bottle of whiskey in my hand and dumping it down his wide mouth before swiping the drips from his chin. “Sorry I didn’t want to drink and drive. I waited, like a good boy.”

“You literally can’t even get drunk.” I swipe the bottle out of his hands.

He frowns. “It tastes good.”

Another immortal walks in. I’m already tired, and here we go. “Mine.” He swipes the whiskey and growls in Alex’s face.

“Ah, Mason, please don’t tell me you flew all the way from Scotland.” Really. Please. Don’t.

His grin is almost as annoying as his shoulder length brown messy hair. “Someone had to throw the final party for you, and I do love a good party. Don’t all werewolf---” He stops himself and actually does a small head bow to Cleo. “Sorry were discussing a children’s story.”

Alex chokes on a laugh while Horus elbows him.

Yes, a story about werewolves, gods, demons, vampires, fae, fallen angels, and elves. It’s very comical, no bloodshed whatsoever, we can barely remember the body count.

And as luck would have it.

She’s normal.

As in, she’s pretty like I knew she would be, but there is nothing specifically that stands out about her. Her brown eyes look like mud except for the flecks of yellow in them. Shoulder length black hair flows down her black sweatshirt paired with loose jeans. Nothing screams chaos and yet, she is. I smell waves of him in her, one that my soul—if I still even have one—recognizes as an almost twin flame. It would make sense; there’s always a familiarity with the descendants of Chaos. We will always be at odds, drawn to one another only to end each other.

Her eyes are big though. Her posture screams innocent, weak, probably because that’s all she’s believed her entire life, that she can’t control things around her, she just exists in the time and space she’s been given.

A survivor. Nothing more, merely clinging to the heat of the sun.

I inhale deeply. She smells of the Nile—of where she will return one day.

This desperation will make things easier, I think, the fact that she’s almost given up on life in general. In the end. It’s harder to cover up the light anyway, so pushing her toward the opposite end is the only thing that truly makes sense, besides, it’s not her fault.

Something about her is raw and exposed, she smells of both fear and perseverance. Then again, I didn’t expect anything less than that. I hoped for it. I wished for it. Now I have it.

I have her.

My final challenge.

“Hello.” I force my most comforting smile which isn’t hard considering who I am. I hold out my hand. “I’m Cyrus.”

“Oh!” She hurries and shakes it. “I thought I’d just be meeting the manager not the owner of the bar. Nice to meet you.” Her grip is surprisingly strong, her fingers warm. It’s a rarity I feel my own heat used against me, damn it. I feel it all the way down my body. Oh no. Nope. Chaos won’t be pulling that trick on me. Nice try. I quickly drop her hand and wipe it on my pants. I ignore the shaking. The sooner I get back to Olympus the better.

“Yes, well, something came up, one of my managers had a cough. He should probably go home now, hmmm?” I glance at Ethan. He glares back at me. He’s not even a manager nor can he get sick.

He coughs lamely into his hand. “Yes, I think it’s contagious.” He swats Enki on the back of the head who trips Mason the minute he starts to take another step towards us.

The maturity level of the group has digressed—we’ve decided that once you’ve been alive so long you simply no longer measure up to your old level of maturity, or at least that’s the excuse I keep getting.

Once they’re gone, the barstools are all empty except for one. He sits there in his cop uniform staring straight into his glass of whiskey like he does every day, like he always has since he failed his trials. This is his only safe space; he lashes out often but he’s harmless. Sometimes I wish he knew that those who are most broken the have greatest power. I take a deep breath and stare back at Cleo. “All right, let’s get you settled and then we can start your training. It won’t be difficult to pick up considering your previous experience.”

“Um, yeah.” Her smile seems forced, she grabs her rolling suitcase and pulls it out of the way, but one wheel catches on a floor board and snags, tripping her.

I grip her shoulders to steady her. My fingers burn with the need to immediately incinerate her. It would be so easy, almost effortless to end her life. But she surprises me by looking up directly into my eyes and smiles. “Sorry.”

So trusting.

And I’m still holding her. I drop my hands and clench them by my sides. Normally, fear leaves a bitter flavor in the air—but her truth smells like sweetness and purity, like something you want to inhale and taste. I don’t jerk back, but I want to. Everything that was normal about her is suddenly blanketed in light—blanketed in my sun, my entire body begs to see that smile again.

That’s what Chaos does, though; it confuses even the strongest of gods. Well done, Chaos. This final chess piece of her life and I won’t be distracted.

Besides, desire for a human, especially one like her, is a line even I do not cross. Ever.

The minute she finds out the truth she’ll open those pretty little eyes after a deep sleep and realize that the nightmare is her reality—reality will always be more terrifying than even your most evil dreams. I used to wonder why people couldn’t grasp concept—that when you’re sleeping, you’re safe.

When you’re awake?

Chaos thrives.

Apep chooses that perfectly calculated moment to walk by my door. I can smell him before I can see him. He’s like a damp spring night with a slight chill in the air, where he walks goosebumps of trepidation follow.

I loathe him, but we’re connected and right now I can’t kill him, so I tolerate him as much as I can and when the time comes, I’ll pick up my spear and strike.

It’s what we always did, until now. At least while he’s stuck here for an eternity, I get to give him his final resting place and leave. I think I’ll wear white to his funeral.

Everything he does has a purpose—to irritate, to demand, to make me crack, and push me past my realm of control only to bring me back again. He wants me trapped like he is.

It’s been that way since the beginning. One day he knows I’ll kill him, drown him in the sea and beg the gods to steal his soul and carry it into the darkest depths of the Nile.

That day, sadly, is not today.

The door to the bar opens. He walks in and goes to his usual table and tosses back a shot, one I always keep ready for him so he doesn’t come in further. Silver-blond hair and bright green eyes that never seem to blink, stare back at me—soulless and empty. He never ages, and nobody ever seems to care. They look right past the wrongs in all of us; it’s always been that way, and it always will be.

His fists clench at his sides, his long blue leather coat wraps around him tightly, his black scarf nearly chokes him, I wish it would. His jaw flinches, and without even being close to him I can sense him grinding his teeth in both annoyance and excitement. He inclines his head and walks out. As quickly as he arrives, he leaves. Probably just wanting to see her, the last daughter of Chaos.

“So,” I clear my throat. “Your apartment is just upstairs, shall we?” I notice her attention on my face, as if she’s been watching me during my short inner monologue. Perceptive, this one.

“Oh.” She nods. “Crazy, okay, I thought I was staying at a hotel until I could find an apartment.”

“Things change.” I say through clenched teeth. I don’t understand why she feels different. The rest of them were irritating, this one feels strangely normal. She feels…human. “Here, I’ll take that.” I grasp her luggage, not wanting to risk touching her again, and lead on.

She follows me through the bar and up the stairs to where we house several apartments above the bar, one of them belonging to her allegedly missing brother.

I remind myself, one last boring walk up the stairs before descending to the basement., to the end waiting for her in the river Styx. Wonderful. I almost sound bored about it. The last time I mentioned boredom Enki dropped off materials for knitting so maybe I’ll just keep it to myself this time.

She quietly walks behind me until we reach her room. I type in the code, the beep follows unlocking the door, but when I turn around she looks half asleep and anything but impressed. She walks in and takes a look around. “It’s bigger than I thought it would be, and you can’t even hear the noise downstairs.”

I snort out a laugh. “Yeah well, you’ve never celebrated St. Patrick’s Day here, don’t worry I’ll get you some noise canceling headphones.”

She licks her lips and offers me a small smile. “Well, I’ll probably be working anyway so I don’t mind.”

I force a cruel smile of my own. No. You’ll be dead. And why would anyone be excited about serving loud drunk customers who rarely tip and get angrier the drunker they get?

“I’m excited, and I appreciate it.” She holds out her hand. I know I shouldn’t just stare at it but she’s just so agreeable, I have to keep reminding myself she has no idea.

My purpose isn’t to save her.

Eventually, she’ll understand.

Eventually, she’ll know suffering.

Eventually, then, maybe I’ll know the peace of finally being home where I belong.

The two often go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other, just like good and evil, one must survive—thrive even—for the other to live.

She yawns and stretches her arms out a bit, revealing part of her stomach. Her breasts strain against her tight black sweatshirt. I tell my eyes to look away, but I’m suddenly fucking starving for a taste.

It’s been an eternity since I’ve had a small tempting taste.

My body responds instantly with images of taking her against the bed, the wall, against this leather seat, in every room in my home, screams of pleasure erupting from her lips.

A knife in my right hand, bracing her neck in the other while I take what’s owed—what will eventually be sacrificed.

I jerk my head away and realize I’m aroused. Seriously?

Well, that’s a first in a very long time.

“Do you live here too?” She asks dropping her hand like it wasn’t insulting that I didn’t touch hers.

“No.” I clip out. “I live on Queen Anne Hill, but I do sometimes stay the night if I’m tired.” Or working, but I leave that part out. “Your brother,” I bait her. “However, had a room here, would you like to see it?” Her eyes light up as I knew they would. “He left a lot of things here, I wouldn’t worry too much, like his friend,” Who doesn’t exist . “Said on the phone, he’s a free spirit who got invited to the dig and started wandering off, which he’s done numerous times before. He’ll be back soon.”

As long as she participates.

The sooner we get this over with the sooner she’ll see him—albeit briefly.

She walks after me, her pace fast as she tries to catch up with my long strides. “I would love to, maybe I can find a clue or something, I mean you probably know where he went, right?”

I don’t answer, I slowly walk off toward the door down the hall and type in the code for his room. “Actually, other than financing part of the dig they keep us in the dark. With the Egyptian festival being such a large draw for tourism, they like to keep a bit of mystery to reveal to everyone during the actual eclipse. Especially since there’s a rumor they found a rather unique relic that, by all historical standards, shouldn’t be here. Quite interesting, don’t you think?” I glance ack to gauge her reaction. Seeing her eyes sparkle with interest, I continue. “I have a very coveted collection of Egyptian Mythology books and a few artifacts. I was nominated by the Mayor to take part in an exhibit, so you see, I have quite the vested interest. I’m sure he will return with the others from the excavation site.” At the mention of her brother, her expression clouds, as if worried yet also annoyed. With a slight shake of her head, she meets my gaze.

“Actually, that’s pretty cool, I mean that your collection was chosen, I’d love to see it sometime.” Immediately her expression shifts. “I mean you barely know me so never mind?—”

“Cleo?” I laugh. “You’re fine, I’m not offended. In fact I’ll be hosting a dinner party at my house tonight if you want to take a look beforehand? Or even after?”

She hesitates, damn it.

Too soon.

“Actually,” I snap my fingers. “I forgot, it’s next week, plus you’re probably exhausted.” I force a smile. “Now, the room.”

She walks around it briefly but I can tell she’s trying not to snoop, or maybe she doesn’t want me to see how perceptive she is.

I clear my throat. “I’ll give you the code later, for now you should rest, it’s going to be a busy night at Styx, it’s the perfect time to train.”

“Oh,” She clasps her hands in front of her. “Right. Just let me know what time to come down. Is what I’m wearing okay?”

She would look stunning in nothing at all.

My entire body jerks away appalled. It’s just the effect of not seeing the sun.

It’s nothing more.

Years ago, I would have already told her everything. But now, the temptation to play with her a little longer just became more tempting. She is, after all, my final victory.

“Be down by seven.” I close the door to his room and hand her the card with her own key code on it. “And dress the way you normally would when serving customers at a high-end bar.” I lean in and a bit too much and whisper. “Look nice.”

I hope the immortals are watching.

Let them entertain themselves one last time before I come back and take my throne. Besides tonight—I can almost guarantee—we’re going to have visitors.

After all, the moon never lies, and neither, sadly, does the weather.

Let the fucking game not just begin—but end.