The Taste of Sin (manxman) [Mature]

Chapter 9 - Sin Before the Storm

        Phaeton cowered under the might of the Olympian God. “Could you point that thing somewhere else?” He asked.

            Zeus looked down at his lightning staff and chuckled. “It’s not even turned on. See?” He held out the staff to show the hero that indeed the switch was set to off. Phaeton relaxed.

            “Did you stop them from stealing the money?” Zeus asked as he dismounted his cloud. He was more than a foot taller than Phaeton and his deep voice seemed to echo through the streets as a thunder clap might.

            “Nope,” said Dionysus. He was floating above them looking almost bored with the situation. “And the building caught fire,” he added.

            Phaeton scowled at the stupid hero and stepped forward to address Zeus. “If we had more of a warning it might have gone differently.” He tried to sound confident and stand tall, but his stab wound was becoming increasingly more painful, so he most likely looked more pathetic  than anything in the eyes of Zeus.

            Zeus snapped his gaze to Dionysus. “Why didn’t you help?”

            Dionysus was only slightly perturbed by the Sky God’s anger. “That sexy minx of a villain must have done something to me. She may be young, but she sure is powerful.”

            “Too bad she’s on the wrong side,” Zeus said.

            The Wine God went silent for a minute lost in thought, while Phaeton and Zeus glared at him. “I have to go. I’ll catch you later Phay!” He said, winking at Phaeton and then flying away.

            Zeus turned back to Phaeton. “Who started the fire? They shall be punished! This is one of the oldest buildings in Athens.”

            Phaeton thought about the little villain being punished by the great Sky God and a sick feeling arose in his stomach. “No one,” he said decidedly. “It must have been a defense mechanism for robbers.”

            Zeus shook his head. “Stupid villains.” He looked up at the smoking building and lifted his left arm, his palm facing the sky. Phaeton was so close to the Sky God that he could feel waves of hot fervent power radiating off of his body. A dark cloud appeared over the bank’s roof and it started to pour in that one area.

            Phaeton looked up at Zeus with admiration. “Why did you come to a simple bank robbery? Isn’t that above you?”

            “Technically, it’s below me,” he said with a laugh. “Your father was a good friend of mine. I thought I’d lend you a hand. Are you hurt?”

            “Yeah, a villain stabbed me while we were… fighting.” He looked down and lifted his hand off his wound and it immediately started to bleed again.

            “Your father should have given you immortality when you were created. That would have already healed.”

            “He said he wanted me to be like my mother in one way or another.” Phaeton shrugged.

            “She was mortal,” Zeus said, nodding. “I remember the affair. It was frowned upon, but Helios didn’t care.”

            “I guess you can’t help who you love.” Phaeton tried to smile up at Zeus, but it slowly turned into a grimace.

            “Come here. I will heal you.” Phaeton staggered towards Zeus, who covered his large hand over the wound. Phaeton felt the warmness of the hero’s hand against his bare flesh sticky with drying blood. The torn muscles under the wound knitted back together. There was a momentary burning sensation that was quickly replaced with relief when the lips of the laceration sealed.