Chapter 30
(A Deal Made)
Epiales lounged on a picnic table a pleased smile on his face. He was surrounded by the sounds of whimpers from children surrounding the park he was in. He loved the sound of human’s reactions to nightmares.
‘Children are so easy to scare,’ He thought to himself. He was quite content when he felt the pull of not only a little terror but the internal screams brought on by nightmares in vast quantity. Intrigued he disappeared to see where the terror was coming from.
The God of Nightmares was more than a little surprised to find himself on a train full of mortals. Most of which seemed to be asleep. At first he was confused until a bare glimpse of short blonde hair made him wonder who was causing all the ruckus.
Careful not to be seen, he made his way closer. He stayed just outside of the door of the next train car and saw Phobos. ‘That explains it,’ He thought to himself. “What are you doing…” Epiales fell silent as his eyes fell on Alexandria and her friends. “Well, well, what do we have here?” A cruel and calculating smile crossed his face. “It seems I have the means to get back at Ares after all.”
Though the God of Nightmares had never seen Alex before, the ring on her finger revealed her to him. While he didn’t care if Ares took a mortal bride or not, he did want to get even with The God of War. He waited and as Phobos disappeared into the dreams of another mortal he entered the train car. He walked up toward the sleeping human woman and didn’t even bother to hide his destination. With everyone asleep it wouldn’t even matter if she woke up.
He was almost to her when a fierce growl surprised the God of Nightmares. He was even more surprised when he saw a young fox come out, blocking him from getting any closer to his intended victim.
“You can’t stop me,” Epiales said amused; his black eyes sparkling with sinister amusement. “There is nothing you can do.”
Enya growled and then began barking and yipping wildly. The young fox new strength wise she might be outmatched but there were other things she could do.
“Shut up you mutt!” the god yelled at the fox. He grabbed for Alex but Enya leaped through the air and chomped down on the god’s arm causing him to scream from the pain.
**
Alex was more than a little surprised to wake up and see a man she didn’t know being attacked by Enya. She hadn’t seen the fox since she’d run. “Enya!” she yelled seeing the fox flung off the man’s arm and into a nearby wall. Without a second thought she grabbed the nearest thing to her and threw it at the unknown assailant.
She watched as the man turned and instantly knew two things. He wasn’t human and she was in trouble.
“Who are you?”
**
Phobos was in the middle of having a man dream of being audited when he heard barking. ‘What the hell is that?’ He asked, annoyed that he’d been interrupted. With a huff he disappeared to find out what was going on, in the train.
Phobos appeared thoroughly intending to yell at someone or something for disturbing his fun and froze. “Epiales.”
“Ah hell, another one?!” Jimmy asked now awake and looking from one god to the next.
The God of Nightmares looked at the group of humans and Patty did the only thing she could and screamed bloody murder. It was then that several mortals began to stir; having been woken up by Enya’s barking as well.
“Run!” Phobos yelled at the alarmed humans just before appearing between them and the God of Nightmares.
“Don’t have to tell me twice!” Jimmy yelled and instantly the group of humans headed the opposite direction of the gods.
“Enya!” Alex yelled and went for the fallen fox.
“I got her!” Liam said and went to pick up the fox. Enya was on her feet in an instant showing she was fine and they quickly began making their way to the other end of the train.
**
Deimos arrived on Olympus and found Athena in her private library looking over a map on a table and several scrolls.
“Aunt Athena?” He said needing her help but for once feeling guilty about interrupting her as well.
“Deimos?” She said surprised to see her nephew. “Were you not sent to retrieve Alexandria for your father? He gave you permission to use your talents on her, did he not?”
“Yes, well that’s the problem. It’s my father she’s afraid of most,” The younger god said, clearly unsure of what to do. “How do I scare her to go to my father if that’s who she fears?”
"I do not believe Ares would harm Alexandria; even if he is upset that she ran from him."Athena replied. While in the past she might never had made such a statement in this she was sure.
“She’s afraid of being his wife, our stepmother, and immortal. I don’t know how to counter this,” He said frustrated as he leaned forward into the table. “Her friends are easy to scare but…I’m supposed to make her run to him not away from him!”
“You like her don’t you?” Athena said watching him with interest. It was obvious from the younger gods demeanor and words he truly was at a loss for how to handle the situation but wanted to help.
“As odd as it is for me to believe, yes,” He admitted. “I want my father to succeed.”
“Yes, well he’s going about it wrong,” Athena said knowingly. “Come, we need to tell Cupid.”
“I’m trying to stay out of trouble not get in it deeper!” Deimos complained.
Athena gave her nephew a sympathetic smile and walked around the table to where he was. “He may be angry at first but he’ll thank you in the end.” Before Ares’ son could protest she grabbed his shoulder and they faded away.
**
Cupid watched as Eros watched Nike fly through the air searching for signs of any enemies. Even from where he stood watching he could see his half brother sigh in disappointment as he watched the Goddess of Victory.
The God of Romantic Love looked up at the sky. ‘Cruel fates; very cruel,’ He thought to himself. The blonde Olympian was certain the fates were watching from within their cave laughing at him and the task they’d set before him.
“You can handle this,” Hephaestus said calmly. It took effort for the older god not to laugh as his son glared at him. “You’re very good at manipulating situations that allow true love to sprout forth and a match to be accomplished.”
“At the moment half of a true love pair is running away,” Cupid reminded his father.
“Alexandria running is not your fault.”
“Perhaps not but I should’ve seen it coming,” The God of Romantic Love pouted and crossed his arms. “These two however,” he said with an exasperated gesture in the direction of Eros and Nike. “Couldn’t the fates have given me one difficult couple at a time?!”
“I think I feel better about coming here.”
Cupid looked over and upon seeing Deimos and Athena a feeling of dread raced through him. He looked towards his father and felt even less encouraged. With a sigh he looked back at his nephew. “Do I even want to know?”
“It seems Alexandria’s fears resonate around Ares,” Athena informed him.
“He won’t hurt her.”
“No, but I think perhaps the idea of being a stepmother to immortals in very unsettling to her even more than we thought,” Hephaestus suggested and looked at Deimos.
“I called forth her greatest fear and…being married to my father and becoming a goddess and a stepmother is what she truly fears it more than anything.” Deimos turned his attention to Cupid. “I’m supposed to scare her into running back to my father not away from him and….I don’t know what to do.”
“That’s better news than I thought you were going to give me,” The God of Romantic Love said sounding pleased for the first time that day.
“It is?” Deimos asked.
“Yes. That I can work with but…”
“Phobos!” Deimos said suddenly feeling panic from his twin. “I think Alex is in trouble. We have to go now!”
“Nike! Eros!” Hephaestus shouted. Instantly both gods appeared but were quickly grabbed without any idea what was going on and transported far away.
**
“You can’t have her Epiales,” Phobos said standing his ground as he separated the God of Nightmares from Alex and her friends.
“You aren’t powerful enough to stop me.”
“Don’t….Damn it!” Phobos said as the other god disappeared. At first he didn’t know what to do but looking over he saw the emergency break. Quickly the God of Terror pulled the emergency break stopping the train. It wouldn’t stop Epiales but it would throw him off when he tried to emerge again on the train. Alex had a better chance of escape if she wasn’t confined to the train.
“Phobos! What the..”Deimos started. Every Olympian had the same thought. ‘Shit.’
“Epilaes is after Alex! We have to find her first!” Phobos said as he quickly vanished out of the train.No one argued and the group quickly separated to find Ares’ bride.
**
Alex and her friends were knocked down when the train stopped but quickly worked to get to their feet. “That way hurry!” The red haired woman ordered. Quickly her friends followed her and Enya out of the train car and off the train.
“The trees!” Alex yelled. Her blue eyes scanned the area as she ran away from the train tracks and into the forest. She didn’t know who Epilates was exactly but knew it wouldn’t bode well for her if he caught them. Everything in her screamed he was the enemy.
“Ahhhh!”
Alex looked back to see Patty had fallen. Unfortunately in doing so she stopped paying attention to what was in front of her.
She grunted as she hit something solid.
“Hello Alexandria,” Epilates said holding on to both of her arms. “It seems you need to pay more attention.”
“So do you!” Athena said and threw a spear at the god forcing him to release Alex.
Epilates gasped as he fell to the ground. “This isn’t over,” He sneered at Alex and disappeared.
“What in the name of Zeus were you thinking!?” Nike yelled at the red haired woman. “Medusa could have caught you all!”
“Yeah well I think we may have just given her a new ally,” Liam said looking at the place Epilates had disappeared from.
“Be that as it may, we need to get all of you to safety,” Athena said knowingly. “Out here in the open is not a good idea.”
“I can’t.” All eyes fell on Alex. “I have to get my friends to safety. I need to…”
“I’d like a moment with Alexandria,” Cupid announced.
Deimos looked at him but after a look at his father’s bride nodded. “As you wish. We will back up but not leave. As it has already been pointed out this is not a safe place.” Cupid nodded and watched as the others backed away.
“I’m not changing my mind Cupid,” Alex warned.
“I’m not asking you to,” The Olympian God assured her. He watched as the woman looked at him clearly suspicious of what he’d say next. “I will make you a deal.”
“A deal?” Alex questioned. Receiving a nod she said, “What kind of deal?”
“I will help you get your friends to Conditus Hortus Ignotus if that is your wish. In turn,”
“I have to be with Ares.”
“Actually, I want you to help me with the fates cruel joke,” He said and crossed his arms less than pleased.
“Cruel joke?” Cupid practically glared at her and she laughed as realization dawned on her. “I assume you mean Nike and Eros?” Seeing him nod she said, “But that’s your area of expertise.”
“Yes, well with those two let’s just say I need all the help I can get and…to be honest you saw it before any of us.”
“I help you with Nike and Eros and you help me get my friends to safety,” Alex repeated making sure their deal was mutually understood. The god nodded. “Deal!” She said and stuck her hand out to shake on it. Cupid had spent enough time in the mortal world to understand what she was doing and so took her hand sealing the deal.
“It’s time to go.” Alex didn’t argue and after calling over the other gods they disappeared to their new safe place.
**
Epilates appeared to see Enyo throw a vase and it smash against the wall. “I agree.” Enyo jumped and spun around to see The God of Nightmares.
“What happened to you?” Nemesis said looking at the clearly injured god.
“Athena. I almost had Alexandria,” He sneered at the memory. “Would you mind?” Enyo and Nemesis didn’t hesitate and walking over began pulling the Goddess of Wisdom’s spear out of him.
“I wasn’t aware you wanted to get rid of Ares’ mortal twit,” Medusa said watching from where she sat in a dark green velvet chair in the corner of the room.
“Pay back against Ares. Though now I’d like to kill her myself! Her and that stupid fox!” He said angrily glancing at the bite marks on his arm from the girl’s animal guardian.
“I don’t think this place is nearly as secure as it once was,” Echidna commented from the doorway. “Let me guess you followed one of those idiotic harpies.”
“No, just the stench. Actually, one of the mortals with that twit is afraid of this place. I saw it in his fears,” Epilates admitted.
“Uh huh. Anyone else showing up we should know about?” The snake woman inquired. Epilates shrugged. Her yellow eyes looked toward Medusa. “I vote we switch locations and leave those worthless harpies behind.”
“They have their usefulness,” Medusa said. “Though perhaps we will not allow them to leave the new location alone,” She added annoyed by the carelessness.
Echidna nodded before looking over at The God of Nightmares. ‘Hmm he’s male,’ she thought to herself as ideas began to form in her head.
“Let me recover and I think I can bring others to your side,” Epilates told them. Looking at Nemesis he said, “I’m sure you could get Enyalios to help.” He watched as the red haired goddess brought a finger to her chin in thought.