I reordered some of the chapters. I think it flows better like this.
"We have a deal," Stryker told Mintha.
"Good." Mintha said back and they shook hands on it. "Now that you kindly agreed, I thought I would tell you the true reason for wanting Nick. He is my son."
It didn't take a lot of things to surprise Stryker but this was certainly one of them. "So, it's true? You were raped by demons? Did you get pregnant and birthed him?"
Stryker and Melinoe were related through Apollo. He didn't know much about her beside the rumors he heard from his father. When he was a boy, Apollo would take him to the Underworld as a sort of field trip and tell him stories about the prisoners there. They came across Melinoe's ivory sculpture during one of the trips. He was taken by it the moment he saw it. She was short with a slender body hugged by a long peplos that flow to her feet. She had curly hair that framed an angelic face with round cheeks and full lips. She was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen.
"That's Melinoe." said Apollo. "It was a gift to her from Hephaestus when she was thirteen. He gave it to her right before Hermes got too horny and kidnapped her." he laughed. All humor was lost as he continued the tale of horror. He never met her in person but what he heard of her was tragic. "A prophecy was made when she was born. It said she would die if she ever left Hades. This made Hades protective of her to the extreme and spoiled her rotten. She was his only child. Well, the only one he claims. Hermes was obsessed with her. Couldn't take it one day and lost it. The fool. She kicked his ass and ran away. Fell from his temple and into the human realm where she died. Beaten and almost gang raped by demons. When Zeus and Hera found her, she was black and disfigured. They gave her back to Hades."
How she recovered was unknown but it could be that the rumors were exaggerated or false. Meeting her now, Stryker saw that the sculpture did her no justice. In fact, she barely resembled the sculpture. In person and as an adult, she was far more beautiful. Not hideous like he had heard.
"I was never raped. The rumors aren't true."
"Why haven't you disputed it? This rumor has damaged your reputation. Not to mention, the one about your face." Stryker's eyes roamed over her face.
Right after that screaming handmaid saw Melinoe's stitched up face she spread the news all over Mount Olympus. They say that half of her face was white and the other half was dark. It was not too far from the truth. Because of the injuries Melinoe had sustained before she died, Hera went all Frankenstein to put her back together. Fortunately, Melinoe body healed and merged together with her previous body. There was not a hint of imperfection on her new body. Some gods thought the beauty they see now was a façade that she used to cover up her disfigurement.
"Whether I speak or not, it wouldn't silence those rumors. I know the truth. It's all that matters." Mintha repeated the words Melinoe once told her. She thanked him once again for returning Nick to her.
Next, Mintha had to speak to Artemis. She didn't like seeing someone else's brand of ownership on what is hers. It had to be removed as soon as possible. Making this deal with Artemis isn't going to be hard. Artemis owed Melinoe a couple of favors that she hadn't have the chance to collect. Mintha intended to use them for Nick's sake. The trouble was Artemis' relationship to Acheron and Acheron's relationship to Nick. Nick was not a true Dark-Hunter. Artemis didn't take his soul because she feared Acheron's reaction.
Mintha visited Artemis in her temple to demand Nick.
"I want one of your Dark Hunters." Mintha told her.
Artemis raised her brows in curiosity. "Which one?"
"Nick Gautier."
Artemis was understandably uneasy. "I...I don't know. Acheron won't agree."
"Why do you have to ask his permission?" Mintha taunted her.
"Why do you want that Squire?" Artemis countered.
"You don't have to know. Give him to me." Mintha looked Artemis dead in the eyes. She didn't have to remind Artemis of the favor she owed. Artemis knew it.
Artemis was squirming in her seat. "Can't you pick another one? Anyone else?"
"No." Mintha said deadpan.
"But...but..."
Mintha needed a yes. She was going to squeeze it out of her.
"I understand your difficult position." Mintha said kindly, giving Artemis a false sense of security. "I'll give you time to think on it." She glanced around the temple. "Where is Katra? I haven't seen her around lately."
Artemis' face pinched at the mention of her daughter's name. Katra was the secret daughter Artemis had with Acheron. Melinoe and Mintha knew about Katra since Melinoe was the one who help hid Katra from the other gods.
"You can have Nick Gautier!" exclaimed Artemis.
"I knew you would agree. Don't worry about Acheron. I will deal with him."
Mintha flashed to Nick's house, where he was opening and closing cabinets. Nick's back was rigid, signaling that he sensed her behind him. Slowly he turned around. Mintha was happy to see the double bow and arrow was gone from his cheek.
"Mom?" Nick said. Recognition filled his eyes.
Apparently, his memories were back. He smiled and went to hug her. Without hesitation she hugged him back. This was all it took to return his old memories to him, seeing his mother's face? If she knew this she would have revealed herself to him earlier.
He released her. "I've missed you." He moved closer to her face. She thought he was going to kiss her lips but he didn't. He turned his head slightly to the side and kissed her cheek. "Mintha." he whispered.
Mintha reviewed his reaction and thought back to the time they spent together up until he reincarnated. The truth hit her. She pushed him away.
"You knew I am Mintha and not Melinoe the whole time, didn't you?" she accused him.
"Yes,"
Mintha was shaking. Tears were falling from her eyes. She was willing to forgive him for many things but didn't know it this was one of them.
"You lied to me by omission?"
Nick opened and closed his mouth. What words could he say to explain what he had done?
"I spent three thousand years in this body! Were you ever going to say anything?" she asked him but he remained silent. "SAY SOMETHING!" Her anger could be felt through the kitchen as cabinets opened and slammed shut, walls creaked, and parts of the ceiling fell.
Nick winched at the sound of her outburst. "Yes, I knew the whole time and let the lie continue. I did it because I miss her."
The only reason she was still able to speak with him was because her heart was not present. If this had happened when she was fully herself, no doubt she would have another mental breakdown.
"Did you ever love me?" she asked him.
"How can you ask me that? I love you. I always have."
"Then why didn't you tell me the truth? Why did you leave me to become human?"
"I went home, saw you in her body. I was happy for a while, seeing that the two women I love became one. It was her body with your soul. But as years went by, I realized that I missed you, Mintha. You and my mom have similar personalities but you are not exactly the same. I began to see the difference. I love you. I missed you. If I tell you, I would have you as Mintha back but I would lose my mom again. I didn't know what to do. I decided to leave. To follow my destiny as the Malachai. I thought maybe if I did this, my mom would come back sooner."
His last words sounded strange to her. "What did you mean by that?"
"I know where she is."
Mintha flashed in front of Nick. She grabbed his shirt collar. She was heartbroken. She was furious.
"Where is she? Her Shade!" This was happy news for Mintha and shocking at the same time. Everyone around her was liars even Nick.
"She took some of my Malachai blood, went to live in the demon realm as my general. She told me not to contact her or to go there until she is done." he told her.
"If I didn't love you, I would kill you." She whispered to him. Releasing his shirt collar, she stepped back.
Nick hung his head low. "I know. I know you. You're going to leave me to go see her and fight at her side. I won't be able to contact you, just like her. It's why I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to leave me."
"Have you forgotten, Ambrosius? It was you who left me." she reminded him with a raspy voice.
Mintha flashed out of the human realm and into the demon realm. She knew Melinoe was still alive. She didn't sense her before because the Malachai powers were cocooning her. Closing her eyes, she focused her powers on searching for a small hint of Melinoe. It took hours but she discovered it and flashed to Melinoe's location. The moment Mintha met Melinoe's gaze the two ran to hug each other.
Melinoe still had her long dark, curly hair but everything was unrecognizable. Her eyes were glowing white, she had red marbled skin, and her body was adorning in gold armor. She was holding an impassive sword in her hand.
"I was wondering where my body went." Melinoe said the exact same words she said to Mintha when they first met.
Mintha laughed and cried at the same time. Melinoe led Mintha into her new castle to sit and talk. Melinoe recounted what led to her being here.
"Ambrosius transformed into his Malachai form after you loss conscious. He was spitting fire. I calmed him down but not before demons came for him. I, of course, annihilated them. It was then that I realized it. I need to take care of that whole Malachi problem to keep him safe. I borrowed a portion of his powers and took his place here. I told him we can't have any contact while I am here."
It was just like Melinoe to do something this extreme to protect Nick.
"Are you almost finished here? You can come home?" Mintha asked her.
"Just a couple more armies to wipe out." Melinoe told her casually as if she they were talking about the weather. Since she was born and raised in the Underworld, Melinoe was different from most people. She fit in with demon society. Living in this world would be a nightmare to Nick, but she was right at home. She viewed darkness and cruelty as a normal everyday experience. She didn't even bat an eyelash but she feared Nick couldn't handle it. She stole his destiny to allow him to live a normal life. "What about you? What took you so long to come see me? I thought after Ambrosius told you I was trapped here, you would have at least visited me every now and then. I sensed your presence at my other house earlier. When I got there you were gone."
"Hades and Persephone thought you were dead. They brainwashed me into believing I was you."
"I'm sorry." Melinoe said.
"You are fortunate. Both pairs of your parents do everything in their powers to keep you with them. You are much loved."
Melinoe kissed her head. "So are you. I love you."
Mintha smiled. "You love me." As her depression was clearing she thought of all of her friends who cared for her. "Holly loves me. And there is Alex and Trevor."
"See, many people love you. Ambrosius loves you too."
"Not enough to tell me the truth. Not enough to stay with me. Ambrosius didn't tell me about you until just now. He knew what they did to me and did nothing. I never thought to come here all this time because I was protecting him. Ambrosius is now named Nick. He left me to reincarnate as a human. To live a normal life without me. It broke my heart when he left but I let him."
"I'm sure he has his reasons."
"Whatever they are, it doesn't change the fact that he betrayed me. I can't stand being in the human world anymore. Let's switch places. You go back to the human world and I stay here." Leading a demonic army and slaying enemies was just what Mintha needed. She had to take out the anger and frustrations she had accumulated.
"If that is what you want."
"Ambrosius?"
Nick was standing in the ruins of his kitchen when he heard the sound of his mother's voice. "Mom?"
When she appeared before him, he hugged her.
"Oh, my little boy. I missed you so much." She said. She pulled back and kissed each of his cheeks, tasting his salty tears. "Look at you. You're so big!"
"You're back! You're really back!" he cried. He touched her face, feeling her pale skin, and dark curls.
"I fucked up, mom. I fucked up really bad." Usually, he would hold his tongue around his two mothers but he was too emotional to contain it.
"You did." Melinoe told him as she cupped his face and wiped the tears from his eyes.
Nick laughed. He loved and adored his human mother, Cherise, he loved his goddess mother, Melinoe, just as much. Melinoe was a goddess that had multiple demon blood coursing through her veins. She understood him and could relate to him more than Cherise.
Melinoe hugged him again. "There is nothing you did that can't be redeemed."
"What about Mintha? Will she forgive me?"
"She will forgive you. Give her time." Melinoe said. She stretched her muscles. "Being in my body again is making me hungry."
"If you're in your body again, then what about Mintha?"
"We switched places. I agreed since this was not her life to sort out. It is mine."
"I can understand that." He took her hand. "You hungry, mom? I'll take you out to eat and show you how much the human world has changed."
"I'd like that."
Nick took her hand and led her out of the house.
Melinoe's chest raised and fell as she inhaled and exhaled. "It's been a long time since I got to breathe fresh air." her brows knitted together. "I miss the smell of carnage already." It was not that she missed it. She was used to the smell. "That reminds me, I'm going to see your Grandpa Hades and Grandma Seph after this. We need to have a talk."
Nick whistled a dramatic tune. "Someone is going to get it." He would've done something about them himself but couldn't bring himself to hurt his adopted grandparents. They weren't bad gods. They were parents grieving over the loss of their only child. It was his fault for not telling them the truth in the first place. It would have spared Mintha's life.
"We can visit your other mother too. Mintha said her name was Cherise?"
Nick swallowed. "Yes." He felt troubled since he basically cheated on her with another mom.
"She's a lovely person. I can't wait to meet her. I must thank her for taking care of my sweet boy. She had to be someone special for you to leave Mintha for."
This prompted Nick to confess. "It was not like I wanted to leave Mintha. I couldn't bear to be near her anymore. You know how I feel about her."
"You lusted for Mintha and was creeped out that she was in my body." she guessed.
She could read him like a book. He never had to say anything.
"That sums it up."
"I figured it was something of that nature. Before we parted you were growing in to a man. You got an erection whenever she was near."
The memories made Nick's face red. He would run to the opposite direction when he saw Mintha. It was tough, seeing as they lived together.
"Mintha never noticed. Probably because you were short and she was much taller than you."
"I grew, mom!" he said in his defense, maybe a little too loud. What are these things with mothers? Cherise was obsessed with his naked baby pictures. Melinoe was like that, times ten and minus the pictures.
Melinoe laughed and ruffled his hair. "I was talking about your height not your erections."
"Me too. Wait, no." he tried to cover his outburst.
She gave him a knowing smile, which was contagious that it spread to him. He put his arm over her shoulder as they walked. He missed her. Unfiltered mouth and all.
Nick took her to Cafe Du Monde and ordered her everything in the menu.
"You've got to try this and this and the beignets. You got to try them too." He said, pointing at different plates.
Melinoe ate all of them. "There are so many different flavors." She took a sip of water to wash them down. Her gaze wondered at the items surrounding them. She was like a kid, excited about common things he took for granted. When she left, none of these things were even invented yet. She missed out.
Nick had two mothers that sacrificed themselves to give him a good life. He felt ashamed of himself. When things got tough for his two mothers they bravely faced it. What did he do? He fell into a path of self-destruction. He was useless.
"How was it? The place you were at." he asked her. He used a different term when talking about the demon realm around humans.
"It was enlightening. I will share my knowledge when we are in a private setting."