Guess who finished the fifth book, Bitches.

That's right, Fuckers, we did!

Talk about fucking finally! Amiright? Or amiright?

So fucking grateful, we really hope you guys love this book but-

It's book 6 and on I'm looking forward to-

Where we're going back to our original writing style (YA) This book just got a little too intense…

But it is what it is, and hopefully what it is, is enjoyable for you, sons of Bitches.

-Twisted

He sighs as he watches Uma pace.

Growling.

They'd been in here for at least an hour already.

Locked in this-

Well, he couldn't say it was a dungeon.

The room was actually nicer than what he'd even thought Evie's room would be like.

Plush.

It may have been one of the nicest places he'd ever stepped foot in.

At first had thought they'd been shoved into the God's actual quarters-

But no.

The god really was just an asshole.

A whole nother room and he'd made his daughter sleep in the catacombs?

And it didn't look like Deez had much more of an idea that this room, and maybe even others existed up here.

He turns to Deez as she continues to walk around the room curiously.

Like she had been since they'd arrived.

In awe.

Why the shit were they still here?

And-

His gaze settles on the three figures on the bed-

-why the hell were they still sleeping?

Had T slipped them all full doses?

He glances towards the door.

And when the hell would he be joining them?

He was going to strang-

They all jump as James gasps and sits up, "T!"

"James!" Uma spins as she rushes to the bed, "What happened?"

"Captain?" James looks around in confusion, "where the hell are we?"

"The temple." Deez explains as she sits on the foot of the bed.

"The-" James eyes widen as he scrambles off the bed. "Why? Wait-" His eyes narrow, "that mother-" He hisses as he rubs his neck.. "Where the fuck is he?" He blanks, "Captain. I mean-"

"Askin' where T is?" Uma sighs before she drags a hand down her face, "wouldn't we all like to fuckin' know."

"How ya be-"

"Fuuuuuck," Beam groans as he rolls off the bed and looks around alert. "The fuck?" He whips his head back and forth as he eyes each of them in confusion before he looks around the room- "I'mma kill him." He growls as he brandishes his fist.

He frowns and walks over and shakes Harry's shoulder as Beam continues seething.

"Oi, I be ah likin' that dream!" Harry glares before he blinks up at him.

"Sorry, but-"

"Wait- Sweet Boy?" Harry's eyes widen.

"Yeah," He nods before he steps away revealing everyone else.

"No! That- Did we get dead?"

"Not Dead Pretty Boy," Uma huffs as she crosses her arms and glares at the door. "We're fuckin'-" She groans, "I don't fuckin' know. Hostages?"

"Greeeeat." Beam groans.

Deez stops beside the door before she tilts her head, the look of concentration on her face confusing him before her eyes widen.

"Uma?"

"Aye?" Uma questions as they all turn to her.

Deez looks around the room before she grimaces and looks back to the door, "I uh-" she sighs as she drops her head back to stare up at the ceiling.

He narrows his eyes.

He knew that look.

What options was she weighing?

"What did T do," He crosses his arms, "that you don't want to tell us?"

There.

Might as well add weight in their favor.

"Well," she slowly shakes her head before she drops her gaze to her feet, "right now it's what I don't hear him doing."

Everyone in the room turns to the door with varying degrees of glares.

"I don't know how long ago it happened, but the sounds in the other room are different, and I don't hear my father talking to anyone."

Beam and James slowly turn to the door, before they meet each other gazes.

"You don't think…" Beam breathes out as he turns back to the door with alarm.

James sighs, "aye."

"Bout how the fuck did he hear about it?" Beam asks in disbelief.

"It be T mate, he always be knownin' things." James hangs his head in defeat.

"But he wouldn't-" Beam pauses before he groans and kicks a vase off the side table. "If he gets dead I swear I'll find a way ta drag his ass back an' do it again slow."

"What?" Uma steps between them, "knows about what? Wouldn't what?"

"Captain," James takes a deep breath, "on our way back we heard a couple o' interesin' rumors 'bout there bein' a Howler tonight." He rubs his neck. "We were gonna let you-"

A Howler?

In the middle of this?

They'd barely picked a leader-

Who would be-

"Who's crazy enough to try that?" Deez shakes her head before she looks over her shoulder at the door.

"Yeah," He nods.

"Couldn't tell ya," Beam shoves his hands into his pockets. "We were too busy racin' after dip shit an' Psycho."

"An' I be apperciatin' that." Harry crosses his arms over his chest, "guess T got ya both?"

James nods as Beam groans, "don't remind me."

Yeah.

He absently runs a hand over the place T stuck him.

"I hate him." Beam grumbles.

James claps his back, "he do be makin' it easy sometimes. "

Uma takes a slow, deep breath before she looks at Harry, "you don't think he'd run off and leave us here, do you?"

Harry almost instantly closes his mouth, "I would'nah be putin' it past him," he admits reluctantly. "But I'm sure he be-"

"-long fuckin' gone." Beam scoffs, "I agree. If he heard 'bout it, he probably forgot we were fuckin' here."

James shakes his head.

"It's been a while since I heard him snapping at my father," Deez admits, "I just, I think it's Pain and Panic in the other room-" she crinkles her nose and winces, "definitely just Pain and Panic."

"Why? What was that?" Uma asks with a raised eyebrow.

"They tried to tell me they were T," Deez rubs her temples.

Uma lets out a low growl, "fuck this." She turns to Harry and points to the lock. "Lock. Now." She bites out.

Deez jumps in front of the door, "wait," she begs with her hand out in front of her.

"Why?" He asks when he feels the mounting irritation grow.

"I-" Deez blinks as she looks at each of them before she lets out a sigh, "I um, right." She steps aside.

But that one step was clearly painful.

"Door!" Uma snaps before the others crowd around it.

He frowns as he walks over and gathers her to his chest. "What's wrong?"

"He said we'd all regret it. I just," she shakes her head, "I can't figure out what he would do that we'd all regret."

He pauses.

Several images quickly flit through his mind, every one of them worse than the last before he looks to the door feeling uneasy.

What was Senior going to do if they ignored his warning?

More importantly what would Senior do to Deez?

He turns to Uma, "Captain-"

"Got it." Harry interrupts as he jumps to his feet and pockets his picks, "I suggest we just be ah runnin' for it. We ain'nah bein' that far from the entrance."

"Lead the way Psycho."

"You and Deez know this place best," Uma reaches back to pull Deez to Harry's side, "we'll follow both of you."

"Aye," Harry nods before he takes Deez by the hand.

He takes a deep breath.

He knew deep down that T hadn't left them behind on purpose.

He did.

He'd witnessed T running straight off the ship into the water due to worry too many times to think anything else-

But-

That didn't mean it wasn't going to make this suck any less.

He'd grown good at so many things-

Things he'd never even considered he was capable of-

But speed definitely wasn't on the list.

And now, here they were.

In a position where making a break for it was their best option.

"You an' Gil go next Captain." James nods as he and Beam stand together behind them.

Bad idea.

He frowns, "no, Beam should go with her. I'll go with you."

Beam clicks his tongue before he sighs and nods, "fair 'nough."

James sighs, "you sure?"

"Yeah."

Uma scowls, but before she can argue Deez points at the door and whispers, "go."

Crap.

He watches as she and Harry disappear.

Then Uma and Beam.

"Ya good?" James asks as he pushes him forward.

He nods, "let's go." He frowns as he grabs James arm and shoves him ahead, "Now."

He wasn't about to get anyone caught because he was too slow.

James could get over it.

He takes a deep breath before he's on James' tail.

He could do this.

They could get out.

Find T.

Keep him from doing something dumb.

Then figure it out from there.

For as many times as he'd been in this place, this was definitely the deepest into the halls he'd ever gone.

And the way out was full of several twists and turns.

But he could still see Harry and Deez running ahead, so he wasn't falling too far behind.

And then they make it to the long hall that ran past the sitting room.

A straight shot to the exit.

They were almost free!

He grins as the archway comes into view.

They were gonna make it.

But his elation is short lived when he sees Deez slow just as she makes it to the opening.

"No!" Deez cries out as a shadow blocks the exit.

He blinks.

Since when was Senior fast?

"Nice try, Kitten." Senior snorts as he grabs her by the wrist and pulls her off her feet.

"Hey!" Uma collides with Harry.

He growls as his fists coil at his side, "let her go!"

Senior rubs his jaw with his free hand. "One, you're in my temple Loverboy, don't go getting too big for yer britches, know what I'm saying?"

"Two, seriously? What the fuck took you little idiots so long? I was starting to get bored."

He frowns as his eyes sweep over the god in confusion.

He was waiting for them to escape?

"Where's T!" Deez huffs as she kicks one foot out towards her father.

"Doing something stupid I'm sure." Hades shrugs, "he certainly had that look in his eyes before he ran off. Momma Squid, you know that look, right?"

Uma's scowl deepens as she crosses her arms defiantly, "and what made him run off?"

"Oooh, good question. Good question." Hades taps a figner to his chin, "I maaaaay have mentioned something about howls and the worms in town talking about them."

"Let them go." Deez demands as she gives up her attempts to kick and resigns herself to hanging, "Just, let them leave."

Hades studies his daughter thoughtfully before he turns and eyes the rest of them.

"Well, your pathetic little escape attempt wasn't as entertaining as I thought it would be. I mean, all you tried to do was outrun me. Me! That-" the god dissolves into laughter, "that wasn't really smart."

"So then, what would entertain you?" Uma asks as she stands firm, one fist on each hip as she stares up at the god.

"What would entertain me? Hmmmmmm. What would entertain me?" Hades tilts his head in contemplation before he grins widely, "I guess I could let most of you go-"

Most?

He really didn't like the sound of this.

"So long as you leave this," he shakes Deez, "annnnnd let's see," he reaches out and takes Uma by the shoulder before he pulls her closer, "this."

The sight of Deez being shaken by her arm that was injured during the wave was enough to make him sick.

So was the thought of leaving Uma and Deez alone here to entertain the god.

"Fine." Uma takes a deep breath before she gestures for them to go.

"Yeah, thing is-" The god hmmmmms to himself as he looks over the group, counting slowly under his breath until he frowns and turns to glare at his daughter, "I can't let more escape than get left behind, I have a reputation to protect."

"No-"

"Shhhh, Kitten, I'm speaking with the mortals right now." Senior takes his hand from Uma to pat his daughter roughly on the head, "One more. Who should it be?"

James grimaces before he steps forward, "I'll-"

"Nah, I hate volunteers." Senior waves James off, "So how 'bout Loverboy? He looks super useful, so he stays."

He glances to Harry, Beam, and James, and then to Uma and Deez before he sighs. "Yeah."

"Wha- Put me-"

He glares as the god shifts Deez to under his arm, keeping her pressed against his side as he grabs Uma's shoulder.

And then the god closes a hand on his shoulder, which sends a shiver down his spine.

"Okay, Guyliner, run along. Oh, and tell Firebug to keep it entertaining."

Before he can say anything, Hades guides them into the darkness of the temple again.

"Stop squirming." Hades snaps as he finds himself pulled closer to the god's side.

He tenses at the nearness.

Nope.

Nope.

No.

Not cool.

He glances at Uma, only to find her fuming.

He closes his mouth, not sure what else he could do.

"Okay, back in the room you go."

He and Uma are shoved into the room they'd just run from.

"And you!" Senior growls at his daughter as he lifts her in front of him, "when I say stop squirming, I mean it!"

His eyes widen as Senior tosses her in after them.

Tosses, like she were nothing more than a rock.

Without thinking he slides to catch her before she can hit the ground.

"Asshole." He growls as he pulls Deez to him protectively.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" Uma demands as she steps in front of them.

"It's okay, really." Deez urges as she grips the front of his shirt, "I should have listened."

His eyes drop to her with a frown.

She looked so small.

Defeated.

He turns to glare at the god.

He hated this.

Hated Hades.

Hated knowing something was wrong-

Very wrong-

Hated he couldn't figure out what was so off about the situation.

Senior had never held any of them hostage before-

Barely held Deez hostage-

So what the hell changed?

He growls as his eyes narrow.

"What fucking deal did he make with you this time?" He challenges.

"I really, really, reeeeally wish I could claim this, you know, really would take the blame here, but no. Seriously, I was carrying shit, we were talking, and then he fucking ran off. On me. The God. Which rest assured will be discussed-" He narrows his eyes before a grin curves his lips, "but now that you mention it, you can still thank Firebug for this."

"And why is that?" Uma juts her hip.

"You'll love this Momma Squid. Eventually it'll occur to him that he ran off on me-" He points to himself, "ME! The god." He pauses as his eyes sweep over them, "not only that. He ran off on me while I had his- What are you guys exactly?"

Deez says something, but it was so soft he couldn't understand her.

Hades huffs before he slams the door on all of them.

"Whatever you fucking assholes." The god shouts from the other side, "Firebug will figure it out as soon as Arachne lets him in on what he did, 'til then, you're just leverage."

He blinks as he slowly lowers Deez to her feet.

What the hell had just happened?

Uma turns to Deez curiously, "What'd ya say to him?"

"I answered his question." Deez shrugs without looking up, "we're a real family."

"Huh." Uma sighs before she walks over and flops into the bed, laying on her back to glare at the ceiling.

"I didn't mean to piss him off like that." Deez sighs as she runs a hand up her arm, "not that it would have changed my answer.

"It's okay, Treasure." He kisses the top of her head, "I don't know why that pissed him off, but it makes me happy that's what did it."

Deez had just told her father that they were a real family.

To his face.

He never would have guessed that was something that would upset the god- but who could guess something like that with Senior?

He was so temperamental.

But, why get upset over it when that was how he treated Deez.

He narrows his eyes-

No.

His eyes widen.

That didn't make sense.

The god couldn't be jealous, could he?

Dead.

Typical fucking T.

Fuck knows he didn't even think twice about the others and just ran out the door when Sr mentioned a fucking howler.

Which seriously?

A howler during this shit show?

The fuck are these fuckers thinking? Who's stupid enough to even attend one at this point?

Honestly- It's pretty much on them but-

When has that ever stopped T?

Anyways-

The fuck do you guys think is happening with Sr? Fucker is all over the place.

Was who he sent a coincidence, or is it something more?

Were you expecting him to get so pissed over Deez's 'real family' comment?

Think Gil's right? That Sr is jelly of D's relationship with her chosen fam?

Much love and appreciation

-Twisted