Chapter XXI Laelaps

I have this bad habit of pacing when I'm nervous. Or somebody keeps me waiting. Currently, it's both.

She walked in slowly, her red hair tumbling down her back. I stopped pacing when she was in front of me.

"Cadmean," I said her name softly, cupping her cheeks. She started crying and all I could do was hold her close. "Shhh, it's alright." I told her.

"No, it's not!" She told me, pulling away. "Laelaps, I'm pregnant!" Her tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm pregnant and they want to kill me. You praise those gods as if they were the things that gave life to you!"

"Technically, Artemis did." I reminded my lover, looking into her blue eyes. She looked like she was about to slap me.

"Who do you care about more, the people who want you to hunt me and bring me back to them, or me?" She asked me.

"That's not fair. I owe Ares and Artemis everything." I told her.

"What about me, Laelaps? I'm carrying your child and you're going to take me back to the gods to have them kill us both."

"They would never kill a child." I told her.

"And what's that suppose to mean?" She asked.

"It means that you killed all of Thebes' children and you expect no repercussions. That's not how life works." I told her.

She looked at me, eyes shining with defiance. "Then I guess this is how we end." She told me, turning around and walking away.

I swallowed. I'd catch her, and I'd bring her back to the Olympians.

I had to.

I went back home to Olympus.

Chaos leaned against a wall in the entry way, her black hair standing out against the white marble. "And where have you been today? At a last meeting with your lover before they officially send you after her?" She asked me.

I stopped and stared at her. How could she so easily upset me? The damn bitch was like what Ares felt for Athena. We had been friends once, and now she just liked to verbally bite me.

"Chaos, Zelus wanted to see you." I was saved by Nike as the Goddess came in from the direction of the Olympians' quarters.

"Of course he does," Chaos murmured before walking away.

"How are you?" Nike asked me.

"They want me to hunt down my lover, who just gave me an ultimatum. I didn't give her the answer she wanted." I told my friend.

She put a hand on my shoulder. "All will right itself in the end," she told me. She rubbed my back like a good friend would do.

I sighed. It wouldn't be fine, no matter what Nike could say. It wouldn't be fine because it involved me and Cadmean. That was just asking for trouble.

"You look like you need to relax." She told me. I nodded, wondering what she had in mind.

She took my hand and led me to one of the many gardens in Olympus. This garden's design was simplistic, and full of flowers that were pink, white, and purple. It was beautiful.

"Do you like it? Athena let me grow what I wanted in here." She explained to me.

"It is beautiful out here." I told her.

"I don't mean to upset you, but I think that…that Cadmean never deserved you." I looked down at the petite goddess, her feathered wings lying against her back like Pegasus's when he was resting.

"A lot of people think that." I responded. "I don't usually listen to them."

She looked at me, and then stepped in front of me. "Why do I care about what you think of me?" She asked softly.

"I'm not sure, why do you?" I asked her, almost shocked by her outspoken question.

She raised herself to her tiptoes, and then pressed her lips against mine. Stop it, stop this, Laelaps, Cadmean is carrying your child.

Or is she? Is she lying to you?

I brought Nike against me, kissing her harder. She groaned softly, but she didn't move to pull away from me.

And somehow, after all said and done, I was able to hold Nike and not feel guilty.

Somehow, deep inside of me, I knew I didn't love Cadmean as much as I had once.

Chapter XXI.V(21.5) Hyenna

Hades came home shortly before dinner, an unconscious Cerberus between him and Dionysus.

"What happened?" I asked him.

"His sister killed every child in Thebes." Hades said. In the short time I'd known him, he'd never sounded so…hopeless and empty.

"What did I say?" Dionysus hissed. "Don't mention that!"

"He's asleep!" Hades shot back.

"If you keep talking like that, he won't be for long." The younger god said. "And don't look like that. You can't blame him for something his sister did. If we went around thinking like that, we'd all be dead because of dear Father and Uncle Poseidon."

Hades looked mad…but he said nothing more. He helped Dionysus take Cerberus upstairs, and then came back downstairs. He came to me and kissed me, his hand grabbing my hair and pulling me closer.

I willingly kissed him as his lips claimed me. I purred as he let go of my hair and his hands traveled down my back. I loved the feeling they created; the little tiny shocks.

He pulled away and his eyes met mine; full of feeling and care. I rose to my tippy toes and kissed him, softly this time. He smiled against my skin, after breaking our kiss. He nuzzled my neck as he continued to hold me close.

I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. We pulled away from each other as Dionysus came down the stairs.

"You don't look happy at all," Hades commented. "In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd say you're upset."

"Tell Cerberus I'm sorry that I had to leave and that I'll be back as soon as I can." He told Hades on his way out. "I hope you have a wonderful day, Hyenna."

Even I could hear the implied Go to Hell in Dionysus's voice when he'd first spoke.

We ate in unsettling silence soon after that. Hades stared at the food in front of him, his hands in his hair.

"What…what do you think is wrong with Cerberus?" I asked him softly.

He took a breath. "He's in shock. He's pushing himself too hard." He was holding something back from me.

"Do you think it has anything to do with me?" I asked him.

"Possibly," Hades sat back. He was about to add something when Gardner rushed in.

"Cerberus is awake!" The spirit worker exclaimed, rushing into the room.

Hades was up in an instant. However annoyed he might have been around Dionysus, the concern, as well as the relief, was etched into his face.

I sat at the table, not sure if Cerberus would want to see me in his room. Just stay. But I was searching for a reason not to in my head.

Yet I stayed in the end.

Author's Note: At least Hyenna kinda cares about Cerberus… And Laelaps just doesn't care anymore about Cadmean. *Sigh* nobody is ever perfect.

Tell me what you thought of this mildly depressing chapter in your review!

Oh, and sorry for taking so long to update, this has been a busy week but after Tuesday everything should get easier and I'll be typing again! :)

~HolleringHawk65