"Lily. Lily!" Kell growled. He was tired of being in the dark as she moved. They had just made it past the Ninja Turtles and a squad of Imperial Troopers, into the elevators. He pulled her to a stop before she could choose a floor. She finally looked at him. The fear was visible on her face. "I didn't want this. I'm sorry. I didn't want you in this world."
He pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head.
"You didn't bring this to me. I was going to find out anyway. I am just grateful you are here to help me. I don't know if I would have lived on my own." Tears welled in her eyes. The fears of her dreams crashed into her. "I really am grateful for everything you have done for me. But, maybe you should stay here. I can go to New Orleans alone."
Kell stared at her. "What happened?" He couldn't stand the walls that she had up. "Why are you pulling away from me now?"
Lily pulled back physically and shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I will go. You can go back to your life as it was. You don't owe me anything."
A low feral growl rumbled from his chest. There was something very definitely wrong and Kell could feel it. "What if I don't want to go back to my life as it was?"
Her eyes looked up at him, almost pleading. "Kell you have someone you love. Please stay here and stay safe. Be there for Roxie."
Confusion, anger, frustration all warred inside of him. "What are you talking about? She is my adopted daughter, not what you seem to think."
Lily shook her head. "It doesn't matter who she is to you. You love her and she loves you. You have family. I can't let you go with me. Don't you see that? My dreams, they were real. The fight, the demons, all of it. And I can't watch you die again." Her lip trembled at the last sentence.
That hit Kell hard in the chest. Her dreams showed his death? The tears that escaped her eyes showed the truth of her fears. He pulled her into his arms. "You can't do this alone. I have lived a long time and if that is how the Fates chose for me to die, then I will face it."
Once again she pulled away. "I can't let you."
Damn, she really was one stubborn woman.
Kell growled again as he grabbed her hips and lifted her until he could press her against the side of the elevator and wrapped her legs around his waist, then he attacked her lips. His hands slid into her loose bun and pulled the hair tie out. Fingers buried into her brown waves as his other hand slid across her back and pulled her closer to him. "I can't fucking get you out of my head." He said between kisses as he devoured the skin of her neck. "I haven't stopped… thinking about you… since you showed up in my forge… How in the hell… could I let you… walk out of my life… when you are in danger?" Then he claimed her lips again.
Lily had lost all focus in the feel of him. His lips were amazing as they kissed at hers, his tongue delved into her mouth as though he wanted to crawl in and live with her connected to him in every way. A shiver raced down her spine as her tongue explored him in return and slid over his fangs. Her hands slid over those insanely large and well defined muscles that stretched across his back. They bunched and moved as her fingers traced the curves. He was raw, primal, power all nicely packaged under skin that she knew felt like warm velvet under his shirt and weapon holsters.
Calloused hands slipped under her shirt as he pulled her closer to him. Gods, he wanted her right then and there. He gripped her soft ass and pulled her against him hard. His jean covered erection ground into her moist, warm core. They both moaned at the contact. He shuddered in his hunger.
Ice water crashed over their heads as the elevator doors opened and the sounds of Kari squeaking in surprise pulled them apart.
"Uh… I would say get a room, but I think you already have one. So, why not do that there?" Aiden laughed at the sight before him. Then looked down at his daughter. "And preferably not in front of my daughter."
Lily was so embarrassed that she could barely string words into sentences as she apologized. Then she asked where Leta was and headed for Aiden's room, happy to see that Aiden and Kari wouldn't be there for what was to happen next.
"Lily, really, this isn't the time to catch up with friends. I need to find a place to hide you until the sunsets." Kell said as she knocked on the door to Aiden and Leta's suite.
Lily ignored him. She didn't want to explain twice and there was a chance that she was wrong about the connections her mind had made. She had been questioning things since the dinner, the night before. More so after the attack with the daimons. But, it wasn't until she met the dream goddess, that she had been fully able to connect the dots. Or at least, she suspected that she had.
Leta opened the door. "Lily? What's wrong?"
"Can we come in?" Leta opened the door and led them both into the suite that the hotel had for their VIP guests. It paid to be married to an Academy Award winning actor sometimes. Though the windows were all open to the sun. Kell jumped back into the hall where he was more protected. Lily ran to close all of the curtains quickly before Kell returned and closed the door.
Then, with a deep breath, Lily asked. "If this sounds crazy, please forgive me Leta. But, is Delphine an Oneroi?"
Lily had spent the past few Christmases at Leta and Aiden's house. And Leta's sister had come as well, with her family. She had always noticed the intense power from Delphine and her husband Jericho, even their son Kristof. They even brought friends with them, the year before last. They all had crazy power. Good people. Very intimidating. But, Lily had never had a reason to question if they were human before.
But, once she met Dona, she felt that same kind of power. And she looked so much like Leta.
Leta glared at Kell. "What have you been telling her Dark-Hunter?"
"Oh shit, she is?" Lily gasped.
Kell looked confused. "Who is Delphine and how in the hell have you met an Oneroi before?"
Lily waved her hands, trying to stay focused. "Leta. Can I trust you? I mean really trust you? With something that most of Olympus is probably looking for?"
Leta's eyes went wide. "Lily, what did you get yourself into? Is this his fault?"
"Stop blaming Kell!" Lily was pacing and shaking as she didn't know what to do. "I had these dreams. Some of it was about history, some about the future. I really don't understand it all yet. But, Kell called Dona. She said it was all real. But, I sensed the similarity between her and Delphine and Madoc. Similar to Deimos and Phobos, or even Jericho, but he's different."
Lily stopped in her rant. "Deimos and Phobos weren't named after the gods of fear were they? They really are the Greek gods of fear and terror. Shit. Please tell me they liked me enough to not want to kill me."
Leta wrapped an arm around Lily and led her to the couch. "Everyone liked you. I don't know why they would want to kill you."
Kell was beyond confused, but chose to stay quiet and listen.
Lily looked at Leta. "How are you normal and your sister is a goddess?"
Leta shook her head. "Delphine is my daughter. I just introduce her as my sister because it raises fewer questions among our human friends. But, I was a goddess. Now, I am happy living a mortal life with Aiden and Kari. Please tell me what is going on."
Lily rubbed her hands on her cargo pants. "I need help. We need help." She looked up at Kell. "If the dreams are real, and I do believe they are. Not just because I had a goddess appear in my room and tell me so, but then the fucking demons attacked…" She paused. "And come to think of it, the daimons last night make more sense too…"
"Lily. Focus." Kell said calmly. He could tell that her panic had her mind racing too fast to keep up.
Her head nodded. "Well, if it is real, then, what I uncovered at my last dig is something that everyone wants. And, I don't mean human everyone. I mean Stryker, Apollo, Zeus, Noir, and more."
Leta hissed at the mention of Noir's name. He had gone after her family, her daughter. For that, Leta would always hate him.
"What did you find?"
"The Harpe." She whispered.
Kell was stunned. "Excuse me?"
"Are you sure?" Leta asked.
"The first night after the weapon was uncovered, I had this strange dream. It all felt so real. It was like some strange montage of a 'Clash of the Titans' remake. I saw visions of Cronos killing his father, Zeus killing Cronos, Perseus killing Medusa. All with that same blade. It has killed gods. It could be used to kill gods again."
"Oh hell." Kell breathed.
Lily continued. "Then, today, the dream extended to include scenes about going to New Orleans to see Acheron with it. Everyone wants the weapon. And, we get attacked. And…"
When her eyes met Kell's, they were so full of fear.
"I trust Kell to do everything he can. But, he is a daimon hunter. Not a god. And we are likely to face gods. We need help."
Leta let out a long breath. She hugged Lily tightly and stood up. "Let me see what I can do. But, you must understand that the Greek pantheon is dangerous. If I have not introduced you to them, don't trust them. You hear me?"
Lily nodded.
A few minutes later, Kell watched as a god flashed himself into the room. The man was even in height with Kell. The power he exuded was potent. The flowing white hair, eyes of two different colors, and the scar across his face only added to his intensity. The god's eyes, one glowing blue, the other milky white, narrowed on Kell.
"You didn't tell me there was a Dark-Hunter here." Jericho grumbled.
Leta shrugged. "Oh well. Get over it. Oneroi work with them all the time, didn't think it was an issue for you."
"I am not Oneroi."
"No, but you are married to one."
"What are you then?" Lily squeaked.
It was the first time Jericho noticed her. His face softened. "How much do you know, Lily?"
"Enough for you to be honest." Leta answered.
"I am a Titan. I suppose you would be more familiar with my former name. Cratus." The anger as he said his 'former name' was palpable. But, he was right. Lily did know of him from her studies.
They quickly caught the Titan up on the situation with the Harpe.
Kell jumped into working out a plan with Jericho.
"Hold on there mister." She growled. "I trust you and all, but that doesn't mean you can take control of everything."
Kell's eyes narrowed. "I have more experience at this stuff than you do."
Jericho winced. He knew Kell was about to get his ass handed to him. Lily was shy and withdrawn. But, deep down, she had a steel backbone. She wouldn't take his need to control her very well.
"Yes. Mister powerful Dark-Hunter warrior. You know about fights and strategy. I don't know much about fighting other than some basic defensive moves. But, I do know strategy. And I am the one who figured out to ask Leta for help and have met Jericho before. So, this…" She gestured between Kell and Jericho. "Is all about me and wouldn't have happened without me."
Kell rubbed his face with his hands. "You have got to be one of the most stubborn and infuriating women I have ever met."
"Well, get over it."
Jericho and Leta laughed. "I take it empathy or memory control are not your powers?" Leta asked.
"No. Not like it would make a difference with her. She is shows all of her emotions and is too strong willed to control." He grumbled.
Lily narrowed her eyes on him. "Alright, what are your psychic abilities. We should factor those into the plan." She commented.
"Psychokinesis. Only with metal. Pyrokinesis. And bilocation."
"Metal manipulation and pyrokinesis make sense, as a smith. But, what is bilocation?" She asked.
As she asked the question, a duplicate version of Kell showed up in the room. "This is bilocation. Being able to be in two places at once."
"Now that can be handy."
If I can stay in control. And little miss stubborn is seriously testing that. Kell grumbled to himself.
By the time they finished. Jericho agreed to look out for Lily as best as he could and he explained how she could summon him if she was in serious trouble.
"Listen to me Lily. There are very few weapons like the Harpe. Noir had one in his possession before and he gave it to me. I still don't know why, except that he wanted me to kill other gods. I returned it to its rightful guardian. These weapons are far more than just sharpened metal. There must be a reason that it is reaching out to you in your dreams. So, it is best to keep the two of you together." Jericho explained. "I wish I could simply take it and remove the danger from you. But, that could cause greater harm."
Everyone agreed that they should try to follow the path of her dreams for the time being as no one had enough information to know if there were reasons for her dreams. They didn't want to try to veer off the path if it was meant to show her a safer route.
So, with that said, the moment that the sun went down, Kell took her to his car and they hit the road for New Orleans.