Csoh: I'm sorry! My computer has been infected for a while so I had to work as hard as I could to save my work and fix my computer...It was some dark times... BUT I met Sherrilyn Kenyon and it was AWESOME! So I guess sometimes things have to go wrong before they can go right.
Acheron: (rolls eyes) Well said.
Csoh: (smiles) Thanks!
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Chapter 5:
Prelude couldn't stand it. He tossed and turned the whole day. His thoughts always returning to her. She was just so... Prelude got up and looked at the clock. It was almost eleven. He was covered in sweat and his room was stuffy as hell. He walked into the bathroom and turned the shower on. He looked his reflection and splashed some water in his face.
After a minute of yawning, scratching, and other common morning habits, he stepped into the shower. It was still cold and he jumped at the change in temperature. He started to soap himself when the door opened. He turned to find himself in the gaze of Holly. She was smirking at him and all his glory- Prelude covered himself with the cloth in his hands.
"Hey there." Holly pealed off her clothes and joined him in the shower. If her staring was awkward, it was nothing compared to her being in there with him. He took a step back from her as she took the cloth away. She sighed. "I'm not planning on having sex with you. I haven't had any yet and I highly doubt I'm going to give myself away to someone who doesn't want me here." Prelude frowned.
"What makes you think I don't want you here." She started to lather his back and legs as he spoke. He felt himself getting hard.
"Well you were just thinking it and the backing away is usually a sign that someone wants to be left alone." She threw the cloth into his hand and jumped out. " Besides I don't think you want to do a virgin." Grabbing her clothes she darted out of the room, leaving him standing in the middle of the spray.
Prelude came awake to find himself in the middle of his room. He got up and quickly changed to go hunting. His dreams were becoming a nuisance for him. He thought about what she had said... she was a virgin. It was odd for someone at her age in the middle of New Orleans. Of course it wasn't like Las Vegas from what he'd heard.
He started towards Bourbon street and stopped when he heard a group of them talking.
"So we need to find this person and bring her to you." The dark-haired guy rubbed his face and sighed.
"Yes, if we can control fate then we can take down the dark-hunters and settle a few other matters..." The other daimons grew excited and a couple more joined the group pulling a figure behind them.
"Stryker! We found she's heading to Minnesota. You know the Inferno place that panther owns." The figure started to plead with the two holding her. Stryker smiled as the two threw the human to the ground. It was time to stop listening and take action.
Prelude threw a half dozen daggers in and caught four of them in the chest. They turned to dust and the leader threw open a bolt hole. Before Prelude could continue to fight, the others jumped into the hole. The woman was left behind. She was in hysterics.
"Who were they looking for!" He pulled the woman up. She was still shacking, but she was clear when she said it.
"...I...they were....Holly Rheia...you have to warn her..." The woman collapsed into his arms and he carried her to the front of the police station. He was tired of all the collapsing victims. He needed to find Holly before the daimons did. He turned a corner and pulled out his phone, speed dialing for Ash. The phone was picked up in the first ring.
"She's with a group of were-hunters she'll be fine." The sounds of a video game filled the background.
"They know where she is. We need to get up there and-"
"What are you going to do, Pre ." The dark-hunter almost yelled into the phone. "I have two dark-hunters up there in the immediate area and she's in a sanctuary. If they try to get to her they'll have to go through all of them up there." Prelude wasn't reassured. The sound of Tory laughing at Ash filled the background.
"I still think that-"
"NO! Now you're making me lose and I have other things to worry about than a love sick dark-hunter." Acheron hung up the phone and Prelude cursed himself. His insides were in overdrive and he started to see red. He punched the wall of the building next to him and felt his fist pounding. A breese came through the alley as a figure appeared.
"Do you want to be moved to watch her?" Artemis rubbed his fist that was in pain and he started to feel relieved.
"We need to." He looked down at the red-headed goddess. She was still the same as he remembered. She nodded.
"Alright. Go ahead and keep an eye on her. I don't want any humans to get hurt due to the daimons." Prelude found himself in the cold out front of a bar. A sign that read THE INFERNO in bright red neon hung above the door as he hurried inside to warm up. He felt his powers starting to drain. A dark-hunter was already inside.
"Hey you new in town." The red-haired former greek queen headed over toward him. "Prelude? I thought they had transferred you to New Orleans." He continued to look around for Holly.
"Artemis needs me to keep an eye on someone." Corbin looked skeptically at him for a minute before shrugging.
"Whatever. All I know is that my powers are draining. If you're staying here, I'm leaving." Prelude finally caught sight of the brunette as she sat at the bar talking to a waitress.
"Yeah, I'll see you later." Corbin walked towards the exit and Prelude headed over towards the bar.
Holly's hormones started to flare drastically as she talked to Dante's wife Pandora. She scanned the room until she found the source of her hormonal rush. He was at the bar and he was staring straight at her.
"Um. Pandora?" Pandora turned and she looked at Holly. "Do you mind if I mingle for a while?"
"Of course not. Just remember what Savitar said about them." Holly laughed at the reference to Savitar's no boys lecture.
"Yeah yeah. Boys are poison." Pandora laughed and others at the counter started to order drinks. Holly walked as calmly as she could toward the dark-hunter when in reality she wanted to run and jump into his lap and take him right there. She sat across from him. "Hey. I didn't think you guys were allowed to move around at a moments notice."
"...I wanted to see you again."
Prelude felt like cursing when he told her the truth. He had been ready to sit the whole night away from her. He was going to keep close but not this close to her. Her presence was sending his being into overdrive and he felt himself starting to stand erect at her closeness.
"Oh... Well...Er...Okay then. I guess you're in the right place for that aren't you." She smiled faintly at him and her leg found his under the table. A thousand chills ran up from her leg as he looked at her.
"Art...Artemis allowed me to move up so that I could keep an eye on you." She rolled her eyes as he stuttered. His insides were on fire. He couldn't stay in place for long.
"Somehow I doubt a goddess of the hunt would give a crap about my welfare." She looked skeptically at the dark-hunter.
"She's not that bad..."
"I'm sure all of you guys just adore having her force you to live eternity in the darkness, fighting daimons." She knew a lot more than before.
"And where did you come across this information?" She met his gaze. Her steel-blue eyes shining at the question.
"Savitar told me most of it. The were-hunters also know quite a bit about you guys." Figured.
"She has her moments like anyone else." Holly sighed and leaned back in her chair. A few strands of her hair fell in front of her face. Prelude felt himself lean in to push it away. He stopped himself and her leg rubbed against him as he moved. She looked up him from under her eyelashes.
"Problem?" He gazed at her for a moment before giving in to the overwhelming need. He brushed the stands away and his hand lingered at her cheek.
"Yeah...I have a five foot problem that won't let me breathe without her." Her cheeks flushed with color making her even more tempting. He felt his self control slipping as he gazed into her eyes. The blue in her eyes almost swirling as he waited for her to respond. She moved closer, their faces mere inches away, and then...
Holly leaned back as she realized what she was doing. She couldn't have him. He was a dark-hunter and she wasn't. The dark-hunters couldn't have lasting romances and she really couldn't fight with a goddess to get him away. Prelude leaned back looking like he was thinking similar thoughts.
Holly looked over at where Pandora was serving drinks with Dante. If they had seen anything, they didn't show it. She was glad Savitar had left earlier. If he had been there... It would have been bad! She looked back at her gorgeous dark-hunter.
"So you're going to be around the whole week." Prelude zoned back into the conversation.
"I was planning on it." She figured he would.
"Okay. Then I have a question." He hesitated a moment.
"Very well."
"Why are you really keeping me safe?" Prelude looked at her.
"It's my job to keep humans safe from daimons and right now you're a large target." She shook her head.
"I'm in a sanctuary and I'm staying inside the place until this all blows over, so that answer isn't good enough."
Prelude tried to find a reason for his need to keep her safe. He knew that he couldn't have her, but he still felt the need to protect her. He glanced at the clock. It would be daylight in a few hours.
"If you'll excuse me I have to get a room before the sun comes up." He stood up and forced himself to walk away from her. His insides kicking him for not telling her why.
Holly watched him walk away. His backside was sinfully gorgeous and a few women watched him and looked at her with distaste. She didn't blame them. The guy was the personification of sexual paradise. Holly stood up and headed to her room after saying good night to Pandora. The panther wished her good night and continued to work with her husband.
Holly lay back on her bed and thought about her discussion with Savitar.
"You're joking right?" Savitar looked dead serious as he stared at her.
"I never joke. You can't have any intercourse until your powers develop all the way." She thought that was what he'd said.
"Um. I don't think that will be much of a problem." Savitar
leaned back on the other side of the desk.
"Artemis is going
to be making tries to get you with one of her dark-hunters, the
daimons will be annoying you, but from what Urian said-"
"URINE?!" Dante laughed really hard at that until Savitar gave him a cold glare and he left the room.
"Urian. According to him the daimons just want you out of the way. Apparently their leader is worried you might release Apollimy." Holly remembered hearing about that person.
"Isn't Apollimy my mom? Why would someone lock her up?" Savitar sighed loudly.
"Yes, but she is also the destroyer and she was locked up so the humans wouldn't be killed."
"That's stereotyping! I bet she's not all bad. I'm guessing she is probably the nicest person anyone could ever meet." Savitar shook his head and smirked.
"You have a terrible sense of humor." Holly laughed at him.
"I wonder where I get it from..." Savitar's face grew serious as he looked up at her.
"You need to stay inside this place until your powers are matured. And you need to-"
"I get it. Boys are bad and the bar is good. I think I'll be fine." He stared at her, keeping his gaze locked with hers.
"Don't think you'll be fine. BE fine." Dante and a brunette stood behind her as she watched Savitar pop out of the room.
Holly got up and got ready for bed. She didn't feel any different. Maybe the whole 'powers' business was just a bunch of hoopla. She settled the blinds to cover the windows completely and settled down to sleep. She was too hyped up by what was happening to fall asleep though. Then she heard the voice. It was a quiet voice of a woman. Holly looked around for a vent that could be carrying the sound or someone hiding in the room. There was nothing. Yet the voice continued to call out.
Apostolos.
The voice sounded friendly enough. Holly decided to try and talk to the person.
I don't think he's answering right now.
Holly felt like an idiot thinking to a voice in her head. The voice went quiet for a minute, Holly lay back on the bed and started to try and sleep when...
Who are you.
That was the question of the ages wasn't it.
My name is Holly Tochter Rheia and I'm really tired.
The voice scoffed at her.
Rheia is a joke for a titan goddess.
And I suppose you know her.
HOW DARE YOU! I am the goddess of destruction.
Oh. That's cool... WAIT! You're Apollimy?!
Of course you silly girl! Who else could I be.
Holly fell off the bed. Her arm throbbed as she heard the voice confirm its identity.
I KNOW YOU!
The voice sounded tired of her.
I don't have time to be playing your games.
NO NO! My father Savitar told me that you are my mother.
The voice in her head went quiet and Holly waited for it to respond... It didn't. Holly rubbed her arm as she lay in bed until she finally went to sleep.
Savitar lay on his beach when he saw Apollimy's shade glaring at him. She was upset.
"Acheron is fine and he's at home with Tory-" He noticed that she looked even more upset at him. There was no way...
"I spoke to Holly." SHITT! Who in their right mind told her about Holly! The idiot! Apollimy had probably talked to Holly about everything. Savitar straightened up as the goddess seethed.
"I was going to tell you-"
"SILENCE! Why wasn't I allowed to have her?!" He felt the impact of her yelling like a punch to the gut.
"The Fates had set in place that-"
"I DON'T CARE WHAT THOSE BRATS SAID! You know how I felt after Apostolos was taken from me." She was hurt. Her shade disappeared from his beach he sensed she was inside her chambers in Kalosis. She was in tears. He sighed before disappearing into her chambers.
"Apollimy..." The goddess glared at him angrily as he walked up to her. He shouldn't have had feelings for her, but he felt himself drawn to her. Sat down in front of her and gazed into her swirling mercury eyes.
"Is she... Can she come here?" Apollimy forced her tears away as she straightened up.
"Yes she can. From what the oracles have told me her powers work against the fates . I don't know the full extent though. We won't find out for a while." Apollimy bit her lip as more tears threatened to fall.
"She can... stop those brats?" He nodded and her face glowed brightly as she thought. "I want to see her." Savitar froze.
