A/N :: Still unbeta. So sorry for the really late update. I got injured at work and my right hand is not working as effective as it should. Hence I'm being slow at typing.
Also, Thank you so much for all the encouragements. Some of you commented as guest, so I couldn't PM you back. I give you this long chapter, since I was pretty late in updating. Hopefully it worth your wait!
Chapter 11 :: Greeks bearing gifts
Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes - I fear the Greeks, even those bearing gifts.
- Aeneid (II, 49)
Sunlight was scorching her face when she came to.
The morning sun bathed her, warmed her but also yanked her up by ear from her slumber. Lysandra pried one of her eye open before suddenly shut it tight for a few minutes because of the brightness and reopened both, blinking few times and the world became clear. The ceiling of her room came into view after her eyes adjusted. She sat up, her dark hair falling over her shoulder.
Rolling the comforter off, she looked down, towel still wrapped around her just like when she fell asleep. Lysandra stretched herself before got up and walked over to a full body mirror that sat next to the closet, skipped over her discarded clothes on the floor. All dried - Just how long did she sleep? Surely more than 12 hours. Slipped off the towel, she inspected herself, looking for injuries.
Lysandra stared at her own reflection in mirror, Blue eyes staring back. She looked well rest, not even a bag under her eyes. Her cut lips healed. Craning her neck, three slashes she got from the Giant's sharp nails were gone. Peered down to her bruises and other scrapes, gone as well, no black and blue spots, no scabs. She suspected that her ribs might have been bruised, a few bones fractured or broken but after swinging her upper body, testing. No pain was found. Her wounds knitted themselves back together. Her bruises healed. Her tan skin smoothed and glowed in the sun, Not even a single scar left on her body. Just like always. They all healed. As if injuries never occurred. A plus side of her blessing, one she was a tad grateful.
"Lysandra! "
Steve's voice and the knock on the door startled her. She flinched and stared at her closed door. He continued to pound on the door like a mad man. She frowned, still a little groggy from her slumber, loud noises always made her want to break down the door and punched people who was the source of them to the ground. No that Steve would know because he was still yelling from the other side of her wooden door,
"Lysandra! Are you awake?!"
Lysandra sighed. Picking up the towel on the floor, covered herself and answered. "I'm up!"
"Oh good….." There was pause. Then Steve spoke again. "….We need to talk before I'm going to work…"
She glanced over at the clock on the opposite wall. 11AM and Steve 's still here? She wondered what was so important that made the man interrupted his routine to have a chat with her. Maybe he finally discovered her night time activities….Whoops…
"….I will be out in a few minute!" She called back and opened her closet, grabbed underwear, a T-shirt and a pair of shorts. Before threw them on her body. Only took her less than five minutes and she was ready to dash out of the room, Lysandra turned around at her scattered clothes from previous night, brown blood stains still visible, the jacket tattered and ripped. She bit her bottom lip and decided to pick up her belt/dagger sheath, before fastened on her shorts before kicked the rest of her ruined clothed into the hamper nearby. She needed to get rid of them before Steve saw.
Opened the door, she suddenly spotted the stain on the floor. No, not stain. But blood drops, they already turned dark brown, led the trail from her bedroom door across the living room to the kitchen door that led to rooftop area. Her eyes caught the blond man sat on the white sofa, arms crossed, his blue eyes watched her.
Lysandra gulped. Uh oh….
"Please sit." His voice was calm. But storm shimmered in his blue eyes. She wasn't afraid of him, she knew that but she wasn't too stupid to get on the man's nerve now. So she glided over to club chair opposite from him, and dropped herself down. Leather covered cushion made awkward squeaky noise. Steve waited till she settled down, he continued. "Do you know how long you have slept?"
"Err…12 hours?"
"No, kid. You slept for 3 days. Yes, That's right! THREE!" His calm façade broke. But seemed to hold himself back in time. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I woke up and saw blood trail leading to your bedroom door. I almost busted the door open when you didn't answer! But instead you were out cold, passed out like when you were in the clinic all over again! Do you know how worried I was? How I scared to death that I had failed your mother?"
Lysandra stared at him. Unbelieving of what she just heard.
"So this is about my mother then? You freak out because you were afraid you broke a promise with her?" She kept her voice cool. Anger erupted inside her for no reason.
"Damn it, kid! No!..." He threw his hands up in frustration. "…Well, yes, part of it because of that. But I was worried about you! You are just girl. I pretend not to say anything night after night from your late adventures but if it got you into harm's way then you need to stop!"
She blinked at the statement before stood up and lifted her chin. "You are not my father! Therefore you have no right to stop me from doing anything!"
"I am your guardian, Lysandra….I have every rights!" He stood as well, his height towering her, they only separated by a coffee table. "You are barely a child! I will not let anyone harm a kid like you on my watch!"
"Then you forgot something, Steve…..I am an Amazon…" She gritted the words out. Mentioning her lack of normal childhood made her anger roared behind her eyes. "I played with real swords as a child not Barbie's doll house of rainbows!"
"You what?!"
She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Hello, Amazons. My mother is one. You know, the woman you fell in love with because she was so beautiful, so strong. She flew in and save your ass in the middle of war, she threw a tank across the pacific like she pitched a ball…. That woman, you remember?"
"Language, young lady….and that's not -"
"Screw my language, Steve! You don't get it, do you?" Now she was the one who threw her hands up. "My mother was blessed with powers, even though I only got few useless divine gifts I was still trained to fight before they taught me how to read!"
Blew a frustrating breath out of her. She pushed the hair out of her face. Her anger swelled in her chest. Even knowing Steve was only worried for her but she didn't like it. She didn't like the fact that she almost glad she had someone who cared about her. But then what?...She didn't want to have it all taken away again the way Selia—No, Eris did. But she wasn't ready to spill the beans just yet. She looked at his handsome face, Steve was kind. He didn't have to take care of her. Heck, now that he had second life, he could even look for a woman of his own. Instead he took her in, taught her about things, care for her. Pang of guilt spread like wild fire, burning her anger, overtaking it. "….Look…..I'm sorry I made you worry. But as you can see, I am all healed. I always did"
"Still, that's not the point, kid. The point is that you went out and ran around every night to get yourself injured…." He rubbed his temple. And looked away from her. "Lysandra….While I understand your—task, mission, quest or whatever you called it, demanding you to go out there and do what you do. I expected you to be careful. I suppose to be your guardian, I suppose to protect you."
"The last person who tried to protect me, got blew up by a treacherous bitch." Her voice crisped. Fist formed a ball. Reminding herself with memories of Artemis and Epione gave a jabbing pain inside. "….I have things I need to do, Steve. Whether you damned well like it or not. This is my life now, So please deal with it….If I want someone to hover over my life the way you just did, I'd have gone to my father long time ago"
"First off, Language, young lady! Or no more R-Rate movies for you!"
"Oh! Com'on! They are all better when there're car chasing, plane hi-jacking and lot of fist fighting!"
Steve looked at her for a good five minutes. Then let out a sigh, a long frustrating sigh and shook his head.
"….Maybe you should see him, kid. He's your father after all….." He said, stepping closer to her and put his hands on her shoulder and squeezed.
Lysandra twisted herself away, giving silent disagreed to his statement.
"By the way, this letter was sent for you."
Steve let out another sigh, he lifted an envelope before tossed it on the coffee table, grabbed his bomber jacket and head to the front door. He didn't look back or say anything else. Lysandra glanced over her shoulder, seeing the blond man shut the front door.
As soon as the door clicked she jumped over the sofa and grabbed the envelope. Noticing a picture of an owl on the wax seal before ripped it open, Lysandra found note inside.
Meet me at Forums of Twelve Caesars when you wake.
There was no name inside. But she knew who sent her this letter. The owl on the wax seal was a pretty much giveaway. She clicked her tongue. Lysandra didn't like being summoned like a servant. Even someone who summoned you was a Goddess of wisdom herself.
A little rebellion kicked in as her eyes traveling along the stains of her blood. She chewed on her bottom lips and rushed over to kitchen to find a towel to clean up her own mess.
As if cleaning would make her forget she almost got ripped apart by a giant, it didn't help at all but she could pretend it did as long as she didn't see it. And making the Goddess wait was something she wanted.
Like Artemis used to tell her, she had a habit of pissing people off, even the gods themselves.
Lysandra grinned, started scrubbing her own blood off the carpet unconcernedly about how long she would take to finish.
Tim Drake almost dropped his monocular when he got a glimpse of the girl he'd been observing for the last three days. A very naked glimpse of her backside. She wore nothing but a pair of silver bracelets.
Down, boy!
Tim swallowed, ignoring his hormones that rushed from his brain down to the certain part of his body. He tried telling himself, why he was here, perching on the rooftop of the building across from hers like a stalker in the first place.
"You're just here to make sure she's alive and safe" He told himself, probably out loud before lifted the monocular to his eye once more.
The view of her glowing tan skin came into view again. Wondering why in the world she didn't even bother to shut the curtain in her room. But that was his luck then, he caught a sight of her the next day after the attack in Robinson Park through the uncovered windows of her room.
His mind traveling back to the event right after Bruce got back to the Batcave. Dick was lucky, he slipped away in time not to catch Bruce. But Tim, not so much. Alfred still tending his bruise on his back side and checking his ribs with X-Ray to make sure he didn't break anything inside when Bruce went batshit crazy(literary) on him because Tim didn't contact Bruce before things hit the fan.
"You could have die, Tim. I saw the remains of that homeless man. He could have killed you and Dick" His baritone voice was low and full of disapproval as his speech went on and on. Tim decided not to be stupid and argued back. So he just shut up and listened. In the end, His punishment was suspending from active duty for a week until he recovered. Batman would fly solo without his sidekick for a week. (Though he wouldn't be, technically he still had Barbara. Or if he wasn't so pissed at Dick anymore, he could still asked his former protégé to help, though Tim wouldn't count on it)
He furrowed but accepted. Tim had something else in mind planned anyway. And being suspended from Patrolling was actually benefiting him than not.
So the next day after Bruce left for his meeting at Wayne Tech. Tim jumped out of bed and checked his PDA. The tracking device was still on and not moving from the same spot in China town. Without school because it was still summer break, he decided to check out the place after his brunch.
After parking his motorcycle a few buildings away, he made his way up by the next building, didn't expected to find her at his first try but he did. Through the lenses of his monocular, he got a vision of her bedroom, her sleeping form was visible for anyone to see through those uncovered window panes.
His heart dropped a little when he saw how still she slept but after a few hours she rolled over to her side but still sleeping. He knew she was very much alive.
Tim knew that should be it. He knew that she was safe, and it was time to walk away. Instead, the next day after the heartless body of Mark Handerson showed up in a dumpster behind East End Police Station made the Morning News. Tim found himself came back to this exact same spot, with a foldable chair, his summer homework and his faithful monocular. She was still in her bed, comforter wrapped around her like a shield.
And here he sat, watched her sleeping form like a guard dog (Or stalker, depend on how you see it) waiting patiently for her to wake up.
He doubted those serial murders had anything to do with wanting to make sure the girl was still alive. Tim told himself it was because she mentioned of being hunted. And with that good heart full with morals of his, refused to let her fell victim of kidnapping.
Now. There she was, up and awake. Her tan skin glowed under the touch of sunlight and Tim frowned.
There was no bruises or cut on her body, the cuts on her legs that should have been there weren't. The bruises on her shoulder and back side weren't there either. No injuries. Nothing at all but a healthy glow of her leaned body. Her straight black hair swung as she moved, looked like she was also checking herself for injuries in the mirror like he did as well.
Rapid healing factor? He thought. Interesting.
So the girl might be a metahuman. Maybe an alien? No. She had knowledge of mythology, most likely there was some kind of magic involved. Magic users could heal themselves, either way. She was not just an ordinary teenage girl.
Aw, hell. Bruce wouldn't like it one bit, If he found out there was some unknown metahuman running around in his city. No, he wouldn't like it at all.
So another hour later when his PDA beeped, Alerting him that the tracker was moving away, he saw the girl came out from entrance building in her bright red t-shirt, a pair of shorts that showed her leaned legs and a bag pack swung against her back, her silver bracelets gleamed under the sunlight. He ignored his silent appreciation by the way her body glided through the crowds in china town. Tim picked up his stuffs and silently stalked after her.
Noise of traffic assaulted her ears as soon as she reached the surface from subway tunnel. After Lysandra spent half an hour scrubbing her blood stains on shinny floor of her apartment then took a shower, she finally made her way, casually to the forums of Twelve Caesars at Robinson Park.
Lysandra rounded the corner and crossed the street, picked up her pace as she entered the park. Memories of recent near death event of being slaughtered by a vicious giant skimming in her mind, making her walked on the walkway what was packed by people instead of cutting through the trees. Lysandra got the glimpse of yellow Police tape that surrounded the incident area. The burn mark on green lawn reminding her of the lightning strike, making her paused for a moment. Her mind drifted to the encounter, prompted her to remember that she had another problem to worry about, those two lackeys of her father.
Would they tell her father about her? Not that they would know who she really was, of course.
Lysandra bit her lips but then shook her head. No need to worry about it now, she would deal with them when the time arrived, hopefully they'd kept their mouths shut because she would hate to cut those tongues off from those pretty mounts.
The large columns stood methodically in the open lawn came into her sight, leading the way up to the stone mausoleum where underneath and the structure around were tombs dedicated to Gotham's finest. Afternoon sun blazed down from above. For some reason, Lysandra noticed that nobody came close in this particular area. The park was always packed in the nice afternoon like this, she wonder if the flow of mystical energy she felt might have something to do with it. Looking up at arches and Dome-like structure, she scrunched her nose.
"Those damned knock off Romans….." Lysandra murmured, the corner of her mouth still curve down in displeasure. Even though she was never fond of Queen Hippolyta, her grandmother or those Amazon sisters. But Lysandra considered herself Amazon through and through. She admired her heritage of all female warriors, the Idealist and the combat trainings. And since she was little, Artemis had taught her too many tales about how the Romans kidnapped, slaughtered and raped the Amazons. Their treachery only right beneath Heracles's.
The thought stopped when wave of mystical energy rippled in the air as she stepped closer. It hummed in her ears, letting her know the Goddess who waited, wasn't much in a good mood. Lysandra pressed her lips together, trying to suppress a smirk, she marched up to the stone steps.
Lysandra pushed the glass door opened, and as soon as she passed the threshold, Familiar voice called out.
"Finally decide to join me, girl? How nice of you"
Mystic energy surged fast and hit her in the face almost made Lysandra stumbled back. Clearly the lady of Wisdom was not humor with her one bit.
The Goddess stood with her back to Lysandra, facing the bust of Julius Caesar. She wore gray pant suit. As slightly turning her face back, Lysandra caught a small sneer on her lips. Not sure whether it was for her or Julius Caesar.
"Lady Athena" Lysandra bent her knees and bowed her head and kept her stance. But after a long silence, Lysandra lifted her eyes up to the goddess. The sneer was gone but the cold gray eyes was still locked on her. Questioning, Lysandra raised one of her eyebrow. The goddess gave her one last look and waved her hand dismissing Lysandra from the position.
"Thank you" Lysandra said with a relief sigh. Lifting herself up.
"Such a rebellion child you are" The goddess said turned back to the bust of Julius Caesar, hands clasped together at the small of her back, Athena continued. "….I'm starting to wonder what made you this way. Was it that mortal's genes in you or was it your mother's people who had raised you…"
Lysandra chewed on her bottom lips, her brows knitted together from the goddess's words. But didn't say a word, letting Athena continued this one side conversation. "…knowing the Amazons, I'm thinking it might be both" She sighed, turned back around. Giving Lysandra a long look with those cold steel eyes of her. Lysandra held her gaze and didn't back down.
"Back in the old days, little girl. I'd have you burn at this spot, or changed you into some animal. Maybe a mule? Such fitting for someone like you, eh?…."
Did she just compare me to a goddamned mule? An offspring of male donkey and female horse? Is she making joke?
Lysandra gritted her teeth, not sure she should laugh at the joke or snort from her attempt of trying to make one. But the goddess still kept going.
"….First you mother, corrupted by this polluted outside world…by that….mortal…" She sneered. "Diana, our proud champion, My champion. Now I was left with her arrogant little offspring with that - that human! - " Throwing her hands up in frustration. "- Olympus is in chaos, We cannot find Eris, and you -" She turned back to Lysandra whose face tightened. " – little halfblood who like to run into trouble!"
"Look, lady. If you want my mother, you should ha-"
Lysandra didn't have a chance to finish. A surge of power slammed into her, she flew several feet backward, unseen hand pinned her by the throat to the opposite wall, leaving her dangling above the floor, hands flailing.
"I am not done talking!" The goddess roared at her and another wave of power rippled through the air, hitting her right in the face. The goddess never moved from her spot. Unseeing hand gripped her harder, squeezing her windpipe, choking her. "Remember who you talk to, little girl. I am not your friend, I am your patroness. I am a Goddess!"
Unwanted tear threatening to shed from behind her eyes, Lysandra forced herself not to. The pain in her throat screamed at her, she could feel air was leaving her lung. She was about to be choking to death.
I will not afraid. I will be calm. I will breath.
Chanting in her mind. Tears brimming. Lysandra knew it wasn't out of fear. But it hurt like Hades! Her body wasn't listening when it was threating by a sheer force of power. It involuntarily went panic, somehow this was different from when she got herself in dangerous situations in the path, by choice or not. This time, Athena's power rippled and lashed at her. She could feel anger, rage and fury clawing at her skin, if they'd been claws, she'd probably been ripped to ribbons by now. Together with unseen force that squeezed hard on her throat causing the lack of air. Not helping.
It reminded her, how helpless, how she was now at the goddess's mercy. A little more force, she could have snapped her neck without even taken another step.
It reminded her she was just a human in Athena's eyes. She was disposable.
"How many time I have to tell you, your mother is not available until her curse is lifted?! Do you think I would not to it if I could by now?" Athena went on with her rant, she started pacing. "This is more than just Eris being herself anymore. There're people who aid her, but I cannot do anything because I am a goddess, I cannot interfere with what the fates have play out unless it offend me directly! Ugh, this is so frustrating than Trojan war!"
Right when Lysandra was sure she was going to die from the lack of air, the goddess stopped pacing and turned to her. Gray eyes of her met blue ones of Lysandra. The choke on her throat was gone, her body slammed back on marble floor, she coughed for breath. It took several minutes before Lysandra could stand up straight again. She rubbed her throat that probably bruised though it would heal itself in no time.
"Come here, little girl….." Athena inclined her head. Lysandra feet marched forward without wasting time all on their own, a second later she was standing in front of the goddess.
Athena was taller than her, not as tall as her mentor – Artemis, but still tall for a woman. Lysandra only met her chin. Her gray eyes full of unyielding knowledge, but that the same time cold and hard like steel that could make you bleed. Lysandra knew she should not meet her gaze directly, but she did so out of sheer anger alone from got choked in midair.
Long fingers grabbed her chin, cold just like her eyes. Athena titled her face left to right as if to inspect the damage she caused before speak again. Her fingers still hold Lysandra's chin "Such fire in your eyes….burning with so much anger, more than a little youngling such as you should"
Yeah well, try being me for the last seventeen years, you might get the idea. Lysandra said in her mind defiantly. Because she knew saying it out loud would cause her another shake up.
To her surprise, Athena released her chin. Chuckled softly "I agree, little girl. You are getting smarter by not saying anything to offend me…." She gave one last look before stepped back from Lysandra, pivoting away.
"…..there're so much to be done, so little time and you are running out of it…" She pulled a manila envelope out from inside of her jacket. Lysandra raised her brow from the size of it, impossibly couldn't be fit in there but she decided not raise her point, knowing this was a goddess she was standing in front of.
She handed the thick manila envelope to her. Lysandra took and opened it. Inside, she found photographs, disturbing ones. She looked back up at the goddess, Athena nodded telling her to continue as she watched her.
Lysandra examined them one by one for a while she didn't understand, until she finished the whole stack. Something clicked inside her and she reexamined them all again.
There were photographs of four young men, lifeless, pale, drained of life, laying in the pile of garbage, some in dumpsters, all of them had gaping hole in their chests where Lysandra knew was supposed to be their hearts. But one thing that caught her attention was three legs asterisk symbols that were craved on each of them, in the center of their chests. She recognized it from her studies.
Lysandra looked up to the goddess, "….Mark of Hecate…."
"Yes, as I was afraid…." Athena said coolly, her calmness was back in place, Lysandra almost couldn't tell she was about to explode a moment ago. But her amusement could wait, things just turned even sourer than before. "….but Hecate has no knowledge of this…"
"How do you know?"
"I asked her myself" Athena said with unamused tone. "We are gods, little girl. You know we cannot lie….though some of us are good at twisting the truth to sooth their purposes, very good at it" She added when Lysandra raised her brow again.
"These are recent murders in a little bit over a month here, in Gotham City…." Athena turned her back to Lysandra, arm crossed over her chest. "Someone is going around killing these young men as sacrifices….or food….or for both…."
Her tone trailed over as if to let Lysandra catch the meaning of it. She frowned, looking back down at the photos, then snapped back up.
Attractive young men, pale from the drain of blood, heartless, Mark of Hecate, food, blood…..
"Empousa" Almost whispering out her answer. Athena nodded, confirming her.
Empousa were three daughters of goddess Hecate and the spirit Mormo. They liked to seduce young men, coupling with them while feeding on their blood and later eating their hearts. Aeons ago, the three sisters went on slaughter spree, they fed on any young men they came across, because they thought they were mothered by the goddess and any deeds would go unpunished. But one day, out of sheer stupidity and arrogant, the three sisters decided to made a meal out of the priest of Athena's temple in Athens. Tainted the man with lust before eating him in her temple. Enrage, the goddess brought the issue straight to Olympus. Hecate who was embarrassed by the act of her daughters, banished them with ferocity. Cursed their once beautiful faces to ugly donkey-like. They could never again entered Olympus and must travel around mortal lands, but they could not feed indiscriminately anymore, They were only allowed to kill 12 victims a year, one per month just to keep them alive. And no one never touched them because they were demigods, killing them meaning cutting the gods sentence short, the goddess'd wanted them to roam the earth for eternity hungrily.
But they had killed four just over a month?
Lysandra swallowed "….but this has nothing to do with me, m'lady. My quest is to find Artifact that will lead me to the seals…."
"It does now"
"How is that?"
"Because I said so" The goddess answered unmelancholy. Lysandra only stared at her in disbelieve. Athena gave her a stare that made a chill ran down her spine. "….you must find them and send them back to Tartarus as the payment for me helping you finding the artifact"
"Excuse me?" Lysandra almost threw the folder down to the ground and stomp all over it just to show how much tantrum she could cause, but again held herself back in time remembering her body hanging in midair, choking to death. She cleared her throat and started again. "…..when you asked me to do this, I thought you offered to give me the clue of where the thing is, you never said anything about payment…"
Athena let out exasperating sound. "….Sorry, little girl, but nothing is free in this world"
"You have no idea how much you sound like Steve just now….." She narrowed her eyes at Lysandra's words.
"Listen to that man, he's wiser than you might gave him credit to, beside he knew it first handed" Athena crossed arms over her chest and took steps back though her eyes still on Lysandra. "….you do know what they say Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes."
"Beware of Greeks bearing gifts. Figured." Lysandra shook her head. She should have known, The gods and their bargaining, They never lend, give, aid anyone out of generosity. Out of amusement, maybe. But most of the time, they wanted something in return, something that would profit them. And Athena, she should have known that something like this would happen.
"Are you sure I can kill them and send them to Tartarus? I thought Hecate had sentenced -"
"Yes, little girl. You shall slit their throats, stab their hearts or burn them to ashes for all I care, I wanted them in Tartarus, all three of them. Hecate had no say in this anymore, she left them to my mercy as soon as they broke her sentence, those whores shall pay the price for breaking it" Athena's voice laced with anger, Lysandra forced herself not to shake from the ripple of her power in the air.
When it settled down Athena spoke again "You should be thankful, this task will show you your worth to us, you might not notice but you're not officially our champion, No god haves claim you as theirs. This task will let them see your strength, your worth to us as we watch upon Olympus…..But do not worry, I shall send you help. You won't work alone…."
"Please, not another gift -"
"Not an option, little girl" She warned then pulled a plain white envelope out of her jacket, handing it to her. Lysandra stuck the folder under her arm before opened the envelope, finding two tickets for Ancient Greek exhibition at Gotham Museum of Antiquities. Athena started again. "…..the two of you will work together finding those whores, I don't care how you convince him but I assure you, you will need his help"
"But who-"
The goddess held up one finger told her to hush. "I am not done talking." She glared down at Lysandra whose mouth snapped shut on its own. "….You will work together, and because he's a mortal, unlike you who was touched by divine powers, he won't be able to see those little strumpets' true form. Not that I would care as long as they are dead but if you wanted to make the job easier, you could let him have some of your essence into his body, that will give him ability to share your power for certain period of time. You will not without any reason, sabotage him in order to finish this by yourself or you will feel my wrath, Are we clear, little girl?"
"Yes, m'lady. But what about my task to find the artifact?" Lysandra didn't want to admit but she'd waited long enough as it is just for the exhibition alone, and if this task would delay the chance to break her mother's curse-
"As I said, do not worry. You and him shall go to that exhibition tomorrow, and I assure you, every pieces of the puzzle shall fall into places."
Lysandra inclined her head reluctantly "May I ask one more question? Who is it? You said him, is it Steve?"
"No…" Her voice trailed off, pivoting away again. She glance over her shoulder and continued "….He's your father's current protégé. Who about to walk in here in less than five minutes"
Lysandra lost the grip of her arm, the manila envelope slipped out, it dropped on the floor. Photos of four lifeless young men scattered on the marble.
Damned the Fates to Tartarus!
Tim lost her by the time she get to Robinson Park. For some reason his tracker failed to respond. Maybe she found out and crushed it. Or maybe the signal just died. He wasn't sure when he stopped at the last place her signal was visible. Tim looked up at stone forums and frowned.
Why would she come here, to the mausoleum of all places?
He was sure that the girl didn't realize at all that she was being followed. She casually made her way from her apartment in China town to the subway, even stopped listening to a subway performer with a guitar singing 'Hey, Soul Sister'. Tim watched her tapped her foot and bobbed her head along until the song end before continued making her way to the park.
She appeared to be just another average teenage girl as far as he could tell, if you didn't count the fact that her hands didn't glue to cellphone like other girls their age. And the fact that she seemed to be oblivious at ogling eyes from population of male gender as she passed by. He couldn't help himself and clicking the side of his special made sunglass, snapping the pictures of her with micro camera that he attached for surveillance, which will automatically uploaded into his PDA and server.
Tim walked through the arch, making his way up to the mausoleum but stopped short at the foot of the stone steps and stared at the closing door.
What if she wasn't here?
He frowned at the thought. Well, never hurt to chec-
"Are you going in?"
Tim jumped, startled at the voice from behind. Turning around to see a blond woman. Her eyes hidden behind oversize sunglass. His mouth gaped at how beautiful she was. Tall, curvy body cover by designer clothes from head to toes. Tim had seen fair share of this kind of women. Those socialites, heiresses and celebutantes he often met at charity galas with Bruce. He never seemed to attract to those type of women but this blond lady…..there's something drawing him in like a magnet. Something unusual.
"Hello! Anyone home?" She snapped her finger, bringing his attention back. "Are you going in there, Mr. Drake?"
"Um…..Do I know you?" Tim blinked at her dumbly, searching his memories of her inside his head, he was so sure he didn't know this woman.
"Och! Of course you don't" She let out exasperate sigh and flipped her blond curl back. "But that's not the point. Why are you following my sweet little girl, may I ask? Do you plan to help her?"
"I beg your pardon?" Tim felt a flush rushed to his face, was he that careless to get caught by this woman? And who was she? Was she that girl's, relative? Mother?...no she didn't look that old to be a mother, maybe a sister? And how did she knew his name…well, it was possible that she remembered him from society page or charity events. Everyone in Gotham(and outside) knew he was second adopted son of Bruce Wayne.
"Stop acting, Drakey-poo. I don't have much time to play…for now anyway" She swatted her hand, Tiffany bracelet caught a flicker of sunlight. He opened his mouth to ask his question but she reached out and snatched his sunglass away from his face, tossed it away.
"Now, that's better. Let her see those pretty eyes of yours..…" She beamed, clasping her hands together before stumped her stiletto heel on his discarded sunglass. Tim winced as it broke under the pressure of her high heel. "Now, Shut up and listen, boy. My little girl is still new to this -" she waved her hands around "—outside world. A little naïve I would say, but don't worry she can take care of herself. You, on the other hand….." She paused and lower her oversize sunglass, Tim got a glimpse of her blue eyes.
"I can take care of myself, Miss…"
"I know you can, your nightly job was pretty much said it all"
Tim stunned at her words. She knew who he was!?
"Don't look so surprise, hon. I know a lot of things. Now…where were we? Oh, that's right. You on the other hand, might have a hard time keeping up with my little girl. She can be a handful and you might not be able to help yourself and sashay in her business. Don't worry….just ignore her. That girl didn't know what's good for her sometime, Please keep her on her toes." Tim opened his mouth again but the blond lady just held up her finger, telling him to hush. "I'm not done talking. And by the way to answer your question, I'm not her mother or sister…More like a godmother!" She beamed at her own statement. Tim forced himself not to shake his head. "Anyway, Now…if you decided to help her, Do remember it was all for the greater good. I'm sure, you people know what it means. Now….put that scowl off your handsome face and go face my little girl, Athena should be done briefing by now…"
Athena? "Um….I still don't-"
"Tsk! Teenagers these days! All the answers you seek are in there with my sweet darling girl, though she chooses to share with you or not, that's not my problem! Just tell me you will help her?"
"Umm….Okay?"
"Awesome! Now off you go!"
She waved her hand dismissingly. Before Tim could do anything else his feet marched themselves up the steps leading to the mausoleum. The glass door threw open on its own and Tim was pushed inside. The force made him stumbling, he almost hit the floor but caught himself just in time.
"Stupid Gods and their stupid rules!" The voice filled his ears made his spine stiffed. Looking over, and caught a glimpse of his target for the last three days, bending over picking up scattered photos. His brain almost short circuited when he remembered how she woke up this morning, those smooth legs and her sun-kissed skin. Tim swallowed when her knees hit the marble floor as her body stretched out she reached for those photos of-
His own eyes went wide when he caught one of the scattered photos on the floor. Picking up one of them that laying near his feet, his body went cold when he saw pale lifeless body of Mark Handerson – The latest victim, laying on a slab, captured on the paper. His eyes scanned the rest of those scattered photos, he saw other victims -Drug Dealer - Frank Moretti, College Football player – Scott Rodgers, Upper East Side rich Mama's boy – Colin Blake. All in the same manner, on the autopsy slaps, lying lifeless in the dumpsters at the crime scenes. His heart pounded so hard he suspected it might leap out.
"How did you get this?" His voice, almost a whisper, But the girl swung back at him. He could tell her body stiffen as she rose, ignoring the rest of the photos on the hard floor. Their eyes met.
Tim sucked in a breath when he caught the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. She was a few inches shorter. With rosy full lips. Celestial nose that slightly upturned at the tip. She had familiar high cheek bones that tugged at his memories. She'd look like Botticelli's angel came to life, if it wasn't for her straight black hair that fell pass her shoulder, stopping at the middle of her back instead of ringlet curls framing her face. Both her wrists wore silver bracelets, that looking more like shackles that bracelets.
Her blue eyes glared at him, reminding Tim of that same look she gave when they first met. If he was a lesser man and not uses to Bruce/Batman's daily glare, he might felt on to his knees and shuddered in fear or maybe it was of those pretty blue eyes that Tim felt like he could spent a whole day losing in them.
"No mask and flashy tights today, eh?" Tim heard her muttered as he felt her eyes travelling on his body, studying him. He almost liked the sensation when he realized the words.
She knew who he was.
He blinked, thousands of questions roaming inside his head. Forcing himself not to show them on his face, he cleared his throat and asked. "….You know who I am?"
She rolled her eyes and gave him Duh expression as she turned back and picked up the rest of the photos, stuck them inside the manila envelope. She muttered again. "I have eyes, of course I know"
"How?" Tim studied her but she didn't give him any answer until she picked up the rest of the photos, except the one he was holding. She turned back to him and walked closer, snatching the photo from his hand and stuck it in the envelope. Then she met his eyes again. Somehow Tim felt his spine tingled.
"Doesn't matter how I know, Stiff. Don't worry, I won't sell your dirty little secret out." Stiff? Tim raised an eye brow but she ignored him "You are here, and by Athena's word I must abide. Not that I have a choice-" Her voice trailed off a little. "Anyway, the point is, Do you want to catch the killers?"
"You knew who did this?" Unbelieving, he asked. She made tsk sound with her tongue.
"Wrong question. Not Who but What" She tucked the envelope under her arm.
"Excuse me?"
"Look, stiff. You want to catch the killers or what?" She came even closer to him, faint scent of honey suckle float within the air. His nostrils flared. Eyes still holding gaze at each other, he nodded. She let out a small grin. "Good, then feed me"
"What?"
"Och! I think you need to go check your ears, stiff. I said FEED ME! I'm famished!"
And she caught his arm, tugging him toward the opened door. Dragging him along with her outside. Confusion lingering in his eyes, he looked down to her as she looked up to him.
"I can't think when I'm hungry. Feed me and we will talk" She gave him a lopsided grin, flashing a dimple. His stomach did a summersault that would make Dick proud. "….Don't worry, I will help you catch them"
He paused his step. "Them?"
She clicked her tongue again. "Seriously, Stiff. You need to get those ears of yours check. I think you are going deaf!"
He heard her laughed. Questions bombarding inside him and he wanted answers.
All the answers you seek are in there with my sweet darling girl.
Tim remembered what that blond lady said. He sighed, if he wanted his answers, he guessed he had to satisfy whatever she demanded first. Tim resigned himself, letting her dragged him out to the afternoon sun. To the nearest food place they could find.
Tim sipped his iced coffee, silently watching her devoured her third burger like a starved man—or girl. His fries sat between them on the open lawn of Robinson Park, forgotten. He frowned when sweetness of the beverage was a little too much for his taste, he set it aside. His eyes traveled from her—who sat cross legged next to him on the green grass, to the manila enveloped under her backpack. Itching to ask his question.
They hadn't talk, not into details yet anyway. Hell, He didn't even know her name!
"So…." Tim cleared his throat. "What should I call you?"
She didn't answer, Instead, finished her food and slurped on her strawberry milkshake. Tim struggled waiting for his question to be answer. Which was unusual for him. Patient was one for the first few things he learned from being sidekick of the Batman. He waited for criminals in the dark, in the cold rain. He waited while doing surveillance. He waited for a perfect time to strike, while planning out his attack plans. Patient was his friend. One thing he good at. But waiting for her to slowly worked her food and finished her drink was almost a torture to him. His brain overloaded with curiosity.
Finally she turned to face him. "You want my name, then tell me yours first…" She paused. "…or don't. I can just keep calling you Stiff. Suit you just fine"
Stiff? Seriously? His temple twitched in annoyance. Feeling a little offended, he lied. "Travis Miller"
"Bullshit. I know that's not your name" Her glare penetrated him like a spear.
"Oh, if you do know my name then why do you need me to tell you?"
She warned. "Because it's courtesy. Now let's try again?"
He hesitated, alarm went off in his head. His secret identity was found out by a teenage girl….what else had she found out? The color of his underwear? Tim forced himself to stay calm. Steadied his voice. "Timothy Drake…..My family called me Tim"
"Lysandra" She replied.
"Lysandra…what?" He raised an eyebrow. Old Greek name like this, he knew her parent would have their connections to their roots somewhat.
She softened her glare and just looked at him. As if calculating what she want to say. She bit her bottom lip. Somehow it made him even more anxious.
"….I um…"
"Come on, I told you mine. And if you knew about my nightly career, you'd know that it was important I should never be found out" He encouraged. He added with the tone she just used on him. "It's courtesy"
She gave him another long look then sighed and laced her fingers through her black hair. She looked away from him. "I am Lysandra of the Amazons"
Silence creeped between them. Tim was one who stared at her this time. His eyes traveled to her shackled wrists then back to her face. And everything clicked.
The first time they met, they fought Greek mythology creature. The blond lady mention name Athena, as in Goddess of Warfare and Wisdom. Her uncommon Greek name and her steel cuffs -Or Bracelets of Submission, as he remembered reading in Justice League files of Wonder Woman about the Amazons that Bruce had in his own system. The bracelets all the Amazons wore as a reminder of oppression years under Hercules.
But another thing that made Tim felt like firework exploded in his head was the fact that no one had heard about The Amazons in years, Years after Wonder Woman resigned from The Justice League. He heard rumors that Even the Batman couldn't trace the location of the island where the Amazons lived, As if…they just vanished from the face of earth.
But now…..
Tim stared harder at the girl sitting next to him, less than a foot away from his body. A faint scent of honeysuckle still teasing his nose. A real life Amazon, the first one in more than ten years! In Gotham City!
The question was, Why? Why she surfaced now? Here in Gotham City. And instead of Wonder Woman—who technically the only Amazon who cared enough about outside world to help, wasn't the one here. Lysandra didn't look more than twenty. She didn't even look like a warrior, sure her body was tone and lean but slightly less muscle mass. She looked more like a dancer than a fighter. She didn't look like an Amazon.
Shit! Bruce wouldn't be please about this new development.
Another light bulb went off inside his head. Lysandra just offered to help him catch the serial killer. With all the timing, only meant one thing.
The killer was one of the Greek mythology creatures.
Double Shit!
"So you are like….Immortal warrior?...Like Wonder Woman"
"No" Her almost snapped as a reply. "Nobody can compare to her. No one"
He could hear admiration, worshipment in her tone. But that still didn't satisfy him, so he pressed again. "But you didn't look….umm…that old-"
"Of course not-" She turned back to him. "-I'm only turned Seventeen last month"
Seventeen? Same age as him? Why would a teenage Amazon doing here in Gotham, trying to catch a killer.
"Aren't you too young to offer your help catching a serial killer?"
"Aren't you too young for your sidekick job?" She snapped back, threw him another glare. Though she did make a point.
"I've been doing this for years" He quibbled.
"And I've been trained to handle myself and unfriendly threats since before you started your damn school"
"But you're a girl-"
"I am an Amazon" She rolled her eyes. "We can make your groin bleed before you can even finish blinking"
Tim felt he should felt intimidated, cause he knew she wasn't bluffing. But he still needed more answers "But why you? Why not Wonder Woman? Last time I check, she was one with outside world connection, she was in the Justice League"
"She's….unavailable…..at the moment" She clicked her tongue. "Look, Tom—"
"—Tim" he corrected.
"—Whatever, I am your best bet. Not that I have a choice. The gods declared I am to help you catch the killers, they demanded I hand them their punishment. And I'm going to do it"
"And…?"
"And what?"
"Come on, I don't think you will just help me for free, so what's the catch?"
Lysandra let out a long sigh, but she answered. "In return, you will help me acquire something. Not that I need your help, I can do it on my own-"
"What's something?" Tim asked.
"Well,…..that's the problem" She said, almost squirming. "I have no idea what. Just where it will be. But we will discuss it later…." Lysandra opened the manila envelope, taking the photos out and spread them on the grass, comparing all four victims on the autopsy slabs.
"You see these carving?" She pointed at the mystery three legs asterisk symbols on all victims. Tim nodded and she continued. "These are called Mark of Hecate"
Hecate. He wrecked his brain on his Greek Mythology knowledge. She was the goddess of Witchcraft, Ghost, Magic and Crossroad.
"Are you saying the goddess was-"
"No"
"But you said-"
"I know what I said. I said Mark of Hecate. I didn't say she was the one who did it" Lysandra clicked her tongue in annoyance. "It's not her but her daughters….Do you know anything about Empousa?"
Empousa? Tim blinked. "Almost next to nothing"
She sighed, "Well, I guess I have to educate you a little bit, eh?"
"So, Once upon a time…" Lysandra started. Tim sipped his iced coffee and let out a little grimace. "….Hecate slept with Spirit Mormo. Then bam! Three daughters were born-"
"Just like that? Bam?" Tim raised an eyebrow at her, mimicking her voice.
"You have problem with my story telling?" She narrowed her eyes at him. He held both his hands up. Satisfied, she continued. "….Ok, so three daughters were born to them. They were beautiful and knew it. But being beautiful doesn't mean they were kind, they were murderous in fact. They liked to seduce young men, slept with them then feed of their blood and ate their hearts."
"Talking about turn off…" Tim muttered. Lysandra ignored him.
"Yeah. And since they were demigods, no one can touch them without anger Hecate. So they went on all you can eat buffet for years until they were stupid enough to eat one of Athena's priest –in Athena Temple. By her sacred altar, so you know how that goes. Athena was pissed then she cursed them yadah yadah—"
"So, you think these Empousai are responsible for these killings?"
"I don't think. I know" She nodded at her statement.
Tim gave her a long look. Giving Lysandra to have another chance to examine him.
Timothy Drake, son of Archeologist turned Globetrotting Businessman Jack and Janet Drake. Until tragedy struck, he lost both parents in kidnapping gone wrong. Adopted by billionaire Bruce Wayne as second son. That much was public knowledge Lysandra could easily find on internet.
It all started when she was curious, what kind of man her father was. After learning he adopted two orphans. Anguish and Envy spiked inside her. Her father decided to adopt orphans instead of go looking for her. Jealousy that what she felt, even she knew he had no idea about her existent. He didn't just shelter them. He trained them, fought alongside them. While she'd spent her life under someone else mentorship.
Their pictures were easily to find. While Richard Grayson, first one who was adopted by her father was much more of a pretty boy. Tim was a little different. His aquiline nose was bumpy on the bridge from being broken more than once. Black hair trimmed short, Blue eyes with a tinged of green remind her of Sea beyond Themyscira. Strong jawline and sharp cheekbones. She could feel sternness radiated around him. Making her want to antagonize him just to see what he would do.
"So…..what the plan?" Tim finally said.
"Plan?"
"How do we find them? How do we catch them?..." He raised eyebrows.
"Oh that" Lysandra made a little O sound, "Well….I don't really have one. But I wouldn't worry…."
"You don't? I thought your gods demand you to take care of them?"
Lysandra sighed. Dug into her backpack, she pulled out the tickets she got from the goddess and hand one of them to Tim. He looked at her dumbfound and took it.
"What is this?" After a minute, He looked back up at her.
"It's a contract for you to sign your soul away…." She joked. "It's a ticket, stiff!"
"I know it's a ticket. But what Greek Exhibition got anything to do with our murderers?"
"Maybe nothing….But this is our trade" She said but held up her finger when Tim opened his mouth to ask. "….the goddess wants me there tomorrow and not today for a reason, she said to bring you. So don't ask me why, I try not to question the gods and their merry ways. I am looking for something that was supposed to be exhibited there. Think of it as a payment"
He took a minute to answer "…..Alright"
"Great…." Lysandra starting to pick up her trash but Tim swatted her hands away.
"I'll get that" He muttered. Picking up burger wrappers and her empty milkshake cup. Together they stood.
"I guess I will see you tomorrow at 10 in front of the museum?" She said, stuffed the envelope inside her backpack.
"Sound good" He replied.
Lysandra almost walking away but she remembered something. Opened her backpack again and brought out her dagger. Tim narrowed his eyes.
"Give me your hand" She said. Holding her hand out.
"Excuse me?"
"Give me your hand" She repeated. "I want a blood oath"
"What?"
"You seriously are deaf, Tom—"
"—Tim"
"—whatever, I want a blood oath that you won't tattle on me to your mentor"
Tim blinked at her for a minute, he said. "I won't. I promise"
"Yeah right, and I am The King of Macedon" Lysandra said sarcastically. Tim made a face at her. "No offend, Birdboy. But I can trust you as far as I can throw you, so just give me your hand. I want a blood oath, don't worry it won't hurt…much" Lysandra gave him a lopsided grin, challenging him. "Unless, you are scared of a little nick…"
"I'm not" Narrowed his eyes again but he laid his hand in her opened palm. Lysandra used her dagger to make a little cut on his index finger then did the same to herself. Then pressed both open cuts together, mingling their blood.
"Now swear it"
"I swear with my blood I will not tell Batman about you and our association" Tim said.
Lysandra grinned. "And I swear with my blood to do anything I can to stop those three murderous bitches from killing more innocent people"
"Satisfied?" Tim said when Lysandra let go of his hand.
"Very…." She said wiped her dagger with napkin, sheathed it and put it back into her backpack. "Alright, Stiff. See you tomorrow! And don't be late!"
Pivoting away she could hear him saying "Don't call me that!"
She snickered. Somehow couldn't wait for tomorrow to come.
Tim rubbed his face and settled in the chair. Waiting for his files to upload. His bandaged finger tingled. After his faithful meeting with Lysandra he decided to call Alfred and letting him know he would crash at Dick's apartment in Bludhaven instead of going home for a few days. He didn't feel like seeing Bruce and trying to keep quiet about Lysandra. He had something to check and not wanting to do it under the nose of his mentor.
"Want some pizza?" Dick called from the living room, walking in with pizza box in hand.
"You know you shouldn't eat in here" Tim said. Dick ignored him and set the box on a table nearby, chewing on his food. Before something caught his eyes, he dragged another chair and settle next to his adopted brother.
"Damn….who's that? She's hot! A little too young for me but still hot…"
Tim glanced at Dick's excited face, his blue eyes twinkled at the screen fill of pictures he took by his sunglass cam before the blond lady crushed it under her stiletto heels. He was able to upload them to his PDA. Dick's reaction made his temple twitch in annoyance.
"You don't' remember her?" Tim said. Dick looked at him dumbfound, "…..she punched you across the jaw a few night ago…"
Dick stared at the screen, then blinked and blinked before let out a curse. "You found her?"
Tim nodded. She wasn't exactly hiding from him. But he didn't tell Dick that.
"That's explain why you just used my DNA test kit….but why don't you do it at Bat cave? Probably faster than here" Dick went back to his food. Waiting for him to reply.
"I could, but I don't want Bruce to know….yet—" Tim said. "I have my suspicious about something…"
"Is that why you're hacking into Justice League Database?"
"Not exactly hacking. I'm just using your password" Tim pointed out.
"Damn. You just got suspended from patrol, if you have that much free time feel free to clean my kitchen" Dick started on another slice.
"Yuck! No Thanks" Tim laughed before grabbed his own slice. His eyes watching the DNA running for the match of Justice League Database. It would take couple of days to finish the matching, from past and present roster. Wishfully to confirm something he suspected.
Nightly summer breeze cooled the air. Steve Trevor sat on the bench outside his rooftop loft, exhaling the smoke from his nose. Nicotine spread through his system. Right hand tapped the cigarette on ashtray, his left holding an old photo. Two people smiling, seemingly happy in each other company. One was a dark hair woman, blue eyes and high cheekbones. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. The other was older man, his used to be blond hair was silver, lines showing his aging. Only the blue eyes were still the same every time he looked into the mirror.
Diana.
Her name was as beautiful as her own self. His angel, his only true love. Fate had funny ways of playing with his heart, sending her to save him. Then took her away. And didn't return her to him fifty years later. Never a day went by he didn't think of her. Remembering her soft lips when she kissed him goodbye. And the day he passed, she held his hands, tear falling from those beautiful orbs making him felt like the sky itself was crying, mourning for him.
Inhaled the cigarette, he closed his eyes. Memories assaulted him.
"Do you love her, mortal?" The goddess asked him.
"I'd end the world for her" That was his reply. Absolute truth. He would. But it wouldn't matter now because he was no longer alive. His heart ached. How could his heart ached when he was already dead?
"You could help her-help her child. Shelter her and protect her" She said to him.
He frowned. "I would, but wasn't that the job of her father?"
"Under certain circumstance….he was unavailable" She looked at him with those blue eyes that remind him of Diana. His chest ached even more. She added. "I could give you a body, you could do that. You could help Diana, would you?"
"Yes" He answered without hesitation. Without second thought. He just knew.
"…But with a price, Mr. Trevor." The goddess noted. "Nothing is free in this world, I would understand, of course if you don't want to."
"Name your price, lady. And I'm all yours"
She smiled. "…..Good. Then your soul is mine"
"Steve?" Lysandra's voice called him back from the memories. He tucked the photo into his shirt pocket and killed the cigarette. He could feel her hesitantly approached. A few seconds she was standing by the bench he was sitting on.
"Can….can I talk to you?" She said. Slowly sitting down by him.
"Sure. What is it?" He said, looking at her. She was fidgeting he could tell something was bothering her. Lysandra didn't answer right away. Instead chewed on her bottom lips, like she always did when she was thinking hard about something.
"I….." She started. Paused to inhaled and exhaled. "About this morning. I….I'm sorry. I should act like that"
"That's alright, kid. You are a teenager after all. When I was your age, I sneaked out to make out with my then-girlfriend so very often" He joked. Lysandra grimaced at his words, scrunching her nose.
"Ewwww….There goes my dinner…." She said teasingly.
"Oh hush!" He laughed, so did she. After a good while they both sat, letting the silence to stretch over.
"I met Athena today" Lysandra spoke, breaking the silence. "….and she said something…"
"What is it?"
"She said….well…." her expression turned grimmer than before. "…..She said, you had to exchange something with Aphrodite in order to…um….came back to life…."
He raised an eyebrow. So Lysandra continued. "I mean, you didn't have to do that, Steve. My mother own you nothing—"
"Oh, but I own her everything, kid" His life, his heart. Always belonged to Diana. "…And I want to do it. So you better be grateful!"
He ruffled her hair. Ignoring her protest as she swatting his hand away. Steve smiled, his heart full with love for this girl's mother. Even he knew what was waiting for him at the end of this road he took the second time.
Yes, He would trade his soul for eternity for Diana. He would do it again without a second thought.
Lysandra successfully twisted out of his grab, she said before dashing away. "Now, unlock that Parental Control you have on the Cable. I want to watch Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof"
Steve shook his head and chuckled. Patting his shirt pocket where the photo was tucked away a minute ago. He walked back inside the loft.
Ps :: Very long chapter, eeep! Hopefully it worth your wait. I know it lacks action but don't worry I will give you plenty in the next chapter!
If anyone didn't get the phase "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts" I believe you can google it. Also the I twitched a little bit of Empousa's origin to fit the story. Also, a lot of people are asking when Bruce will meet his daughter. Almost, guys…almost. I don't want to rush things. I want their meeting to have some impact. So bear with me?
Hopefully my hand will get better and will be able to type faster soon. Also next month(as in February) I will be at Katsucon. If anyone want going at want to say hi, let me know I will PM the detail about meeting up.
Don't forget to review! Until the next chapter!