Chapter 10
Freya
I woke up so comfortable, I could just fall back to sleep. My body didn't hurt anymore. Thank God for my demigod healing factor.
I stretched out, opening my eyes and I was face to face with Damon. He was fast asleep. His features were much softer when he slept, the lines that usually creased his brow were replaced by a more youthful appearance. He looked so peaceful. He shifted his body, so he was holding on to my waist tighter, "Mine."
I couldn't make out what he said, but as he turned to make himself comfortable, I felt his morning wood poke at my thigh. A deep seeded arousal rushed across my skin like a kiss from the sun. I laid back down setting on Damon's chest. His chests rising and falling against my cheek, our breaths in unison and clasped in each other's warmth. I like this.
Just as I was about to close my eyes, I saw a ball of light float down from the ceiling and as it got closer to my face it exploded in a pile of glitter. From the pile of glitter, a pair of small white shell earrings and a pink sticky note fell to the ground. I can't have just one normal day. I sat up and crawled off the couch careful not to wake up Damon. I picked up the earrings and the note. I read the girly cursive handwriting:
Well done!
So proud of you. It's almost like you two are meant to be together. You kept it classy and completely PG which I wasn't expecting.
Here's something to help you woo your sweetheart next time.
Wear with caution, sometimes love can be just as dangerous as war.
We had a movie night that I fell asleep halfway through. A real player move.
And what did she mean 'wear with caution'? I mean they were fabulous, but they weren't jump across traffic just to get a peek at them beautiful. The note disappeared into a puff of silver glitter and I put on the earrings. I guess today I would try to look nice. I walked to the door and look back at Damon who was still asleep on the couch. Maybe, we could go on an actual date?
I stepped outside the room and walked across the hall to my bedroom. I showered and brushed my teeth. I didn't really bother with my hair and makeup. A high ponytail would be just fine, and since I had no idea what the day would hold, a fresh face would be fine.
Vvvvvvzzzttt vvvvzzzztttt vvvvzzzttttt
As I walked back into my room, I heard my phone vibrating, but got there too late to answer. Seconds later, I got a text form Anson.
Good morning lovely!
I put on a red romper and tan wrap around the ankle sandals. I sat on my bed and texted Anson back. We have been keeping our friendship on the DL ever since I came back to Haven. Anson couldn't be here without everyone wanting to kill him, but I still wanted to keep tabs on him. Everyone else may want to exclude him because he's part of The Order, but he was still a part of this team. For whatever reason Athena's book chose him. Which reminds me. I needed get my book and my dog back from Alaric. I was starting to think honey loved Alaric more than me.
Morning! Don't call me that.
You know you love it.😑
:(
Fine. Anything new happened?
I had to think hard about what I was going to say. Did I tell him the truth about Ares, being tested by Zeus and meeting Aphrodite?
Nothing, same old thing.
Nothing's old hat with you. As much as I miss your company, I'll be going dark for a little while.
Everything okay?
Yeah, Order business.
Nothing to do with Haven?
Or kidnapping.
Or torture.
I'm insulted you would even ask. Of course, we're going to go drown a bunch of dogs and then start punching infants.
Ha ha ha so funny. Have fun.
See you soon.
I stared at that last line confused. What did he mean see you soon? Just as I was about to text him back what did he mean I heard a familiar barking at my door.
"HEY! YOU UP?" I heard Alaric's voice scream through the door.
I put my phone in my pocket and walked to the door swung it open I said, "Are you trying to see if I want to go to breakfast or are you looking for a 4 a.m. booty call?" I said picking up an overly excited Honey and leaning against the door. Alaric and I couldn't read each other's minds anymore. It disappeared just as quickly as it showed up.
"I'm a changed man. Dare I say, a better man," he said taking my arm as we walked downstairs to the cafeteria. The room was slightly empty with a few people spread about. In a couple hours, this place would to be in full swing.
"Changed or love whipped?" I said with a smile as Honey licked my face.
"Both. It's just so fucking surreal being around Cecilia," he said.
"I'm happy for you. So, no more Moonies?"
"Whoa, I said it was surreal not a dream. Moonies is the only place I can go and just be me. Every person I know goes there, and just because I'm interested in Cecilia, doesn't mean I'm going to cut off all female interactions."
"You're breaking hearts." I laughed. We walked to the cafeteria and I couldn't help but feel eyes on me. For the most part, my presence in The Brotherhood was no longer completely dumbfounding. Today I just felt eyes on me. I ignored it while Alaric and I went to get food going through the buffet style line, "Before I forget I need my book back."
"But Ajo and I are so attached," he said with a pout.
"Well, I need it," I need to go talk to Daniel and explain everything. I had asked around for him, but no one seems to know where he is.
"I guess so," he said exasperated.
"Thank you, you can have it back just as soon as I find Daniel," I said looking down at the empty tray of muffins. Speaking to myself I said, "Great way to start my morning," I said going for some fruit and coffee. Alaric and I went and sat down to eat. We settled into light conversation, mostly Alaric gushing about Cecilia.
If that's how Alaric was to Cecilia, I wonder if Damon thought about me as much as Alaric thought about Cecilia? Because if I didn't know Cecilia, by the way Alaric described her, I would think she was sent by the gods themselves to rule among men.
A boy behind me tapped me on my shoulder. I turned to face the baby-faced boy in front of me with shaggy brown hair and dark black eyes, "Would you like this? I mean if you want to?" He said holding out a muffin to me.
"Thanks for offering, but I don't want to take your food away," I said.
"Hey, you can have mine!" Another man shouted.
"Do you like fruit? I got fruit! It's good" Someone else shouted standing up from the back of the room. What?
"Did anyone ask you Lawrence?" Alaric said turning around to face him.
"I'm good thank you," I shouted to him. Our little two-person table was suddenly crowded with everyone in the room. I felt claustrophobic and overwhelmed as everyone tried to get my attention. I was glad to know I wasn't the only one uncomfortable as Honey was angrily barking in my lap.
"Back up! Back the fuck up! Ben! You're too damn close! Your fucking piranhas!" Alaric yelled. "Guys really if you could just..." not being able to take this much attention I teleported back to Damon's room. I put Honey down and he immediately went to the door and started to scratch it.
"You want out?" I asked knowing the answer. I open the door and Honey immediately ran out, probably, heading back to Alaric. I shut the door and turned my attention back to Damon he was still fast asleep on the couch.
What the hell got into everyone?
I heard Damon's phone go off and he immediately woke up slamming his hand down on the phone. Half asleep he looked over to me, "Hey."
"Morning. Sorry I fell asleep last night," I said walking over to him. I sat by his feet. Damon sat up rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"Its fine," he said with a dreaminess, "Saved me form watching A Walk to Remember."
"Oh, we are still watching that." We sat in silence until I felt his fingers brush against my ear.
"New?" He questioned.
"Yup, a gift from Aphrodite," I said liking the way his fingers felt on my skin.
"Careful with her. Aphrodite's Gifts really turn out to be curses. I've heard she's a bit over the top."
"You have no idea," I mumbled. Damon stood up and started to undress down to his underwear. Oh, yes please.
He walked over to his nightstand lazily and I got to fully take him in. The first thing that I noticed was his size. He cast a shadow that nearly filled the room. His shirt fit him perfectly. I knew Damon was athletic. God, you don't get in that kind of shape without spending a lot of time in a gym. His corded muscles rippled as he put on his pants I couldn't help, but stare at the bulge just begging to be put in my....
"Oh my GOD!" I screamed. What is wrong with me? I never been so thirsty in my life. I learned fairly early in life, that sex just wasn't from me. Nothing quite kills the mood like setting a guy on fire and taking his breath away literally.
"What?" Damon said confused I hopped up and started to walk towards the door backwards.
"Nothing. Just remembered something! I need to go do the thing...The thing... That needs to be done." I had to get out of here now before I threw myself at his feet and open my legs for business.
"Okay? After training do you want to try and solve Zeus's riddle?"
"Nope, I'm good. I think I already got it figured out. But, ummm I'll see you..." I felt a hunger build up inside of me, the urge to have him in my essence was strong. "LATER!"
I teleported to the golden fountain with Zeus, Poseidon and Hades standing at an impressive eighty-foot-tall like proud kings looking over the campus. I took a deep breath to shake my lust away.
Focus. Some fresh air and a mission would do me some good.
I opened my eyes up and examined each statue individually. The Zeus statue stood in the middle. He was draped in robes that for some reason showed him having a six pack. One arm was raised holding a thunderbolt ready to strike down his enemies. A crown of gold sat upon his head with a single ruby in the center. I called up my air element making me float to look the statue in its eyes.
What am I missing? I decided to sit on his shoulder. Maybe it's in the crown?
"Move!"
"Son of a bitch!"
"Mine!"
I look below and saw three men fighting. Each one not holding back a single punch or kick, "Whoa, fellas calm down!"
"I'm calm!" One of the men shouted up to me holding flowers.
"I'm the most calm!" Another one yelled. A crowd started to form around the fountain. What started off as just three guys, quickly became an all-out riot.
"You're beautiful!"
"Please, me!"
"I got money!"
People started running across campus to stand at the base of the statues. I heard glass break from a nearby building as someone jumped out of the window. People on bikes, motorcycles, scooters, skateboards all made their way across campus to my spot like it was the end of the world. A few people even got into the fountain trying to climb up to where I was at.
"Holy shit," I said to myself.
"Isn't it great?" I whipped my head to the other side of Zeus's shoulder and saw Aphrodite proudly sitting on his shoulder. She wore an open back, light pink jumper with bellowing pants and a crown of daisies in her hair.
"No! Are you doing this?!" I shouted over to her.
"I wish I was! This is all you. And just a smidge of me." She said batting her eyelashes innocently.
I screamed as someone grabbed my leg, "Are you free tonight?"
I tried to shake him off, "Let go!"
"Dinner?"
"Make it, STOP!" I shouted to Aphrodite. More started to climb the statue.
"So ungrateful, do you know how many girls would kill to have this kind of attention?" I saw her stand up offended, "If you don't like my gift then don't wear them." Crossing her arms like a defiant three-year-old she turned her head away from me and disappeared.
What kind of fucking gift is this? HELP!
Damon
"LATER!" Freya said disappearing away from me. Did I do something wrong? Everything seemed fine.
I grabbed my phone off the couch. She must be worried about the riddle; we hadn't really talked about her test. I wanted to make sure the gods weren't going to screw Freya over. Somehow, she had gotten on Zeus's shit list. He would find some way, to get exactly what he wanted. She needed to play this test smart. Not to mention we still needed to find our final member, and Freya was going to have to convince Hercules to fight with us somehow.
I could try to find Daniel for her. One less thing for Freya to do.
I made my way downstairs to the cafeteria and found Leo already eating looking down at his phone intensely. I sat down and he slid me a cup of coffee, "Thanks."
"Hhhmmm," he said still not looking up with a smile.
"What's up?"
"Anna, she is all the way up..." He said trailing off and staring harder at his phone almost drooling on himself. I snapped my fingers in front of his face. He turned off his phone and looked over to me, "No swimming lessons today."
"You said Lucas was close to-"
"I need a break. Anna needs me and the Gods know I've tried. Let's just hope there's no water in The Underworld. It's Milo's turn to babysit. I would think endurance would be more important," Leo complained.
"Don't-"
"What? Give up? Because, I'm beyond giving up, I can't turn a mule into a horse. Not everyone is meant to be a fighter or warrior. Some people are truly made to... paint? Is that what he does?"
"Graphic art," I said finishing off my coffee.
"I don't care..." Leo trailed off looking at something behind me. I turned to look to and saw a group of men running in a panic. What? We jumped up, "Are we under attack?" Leo asked as we ran outside to see.
HELP! I heard Freya call out to me.
I grabbed Leo by the shoulder and teleported to where Freya was. The fountain? And why were all these people here?
"HEY! Everyone just calm down! I'm not even wearing the damn things anymore," I looked up from the middle of the fountain and saw Freya standing on Zeus's shoulder using his crown to balance her, she scolded everyone who was here.
"I love you!"
"Your beauty knows no end!"
"Have my children!"
Leo laughed and I found myself uncontrollably angry, "Okay everyone back to class! Break it up. Nothing to see here. Move it along." No one listen and as more people started to crowd around the statue Freya was perched on it started to lean backwards.
"Love me!"
"Me!"
We heard a horse neigh as a man riding it gallop towards us.
Freya teleported away, leaving the crowd confused. "Well, I got to know how this happened," Leo teleported following Freya's trail and I did the same.
"You could go anywhere in the world and you choose to come back to your room?" Leo said. The room was empty.
"Freya?!" I called out. Freya? Nothing.
Woof woof woof woof!
Honey crawled at the door, "I know, buddy the nerve of her to abandon us," Alaric said walking into the bedroom, "Didn't know we were having a party." Honey ran into the room and started crawling at Freya's closet.
Woof woof Honey ran back and forth in front of the closet door, desperate to get in.
"Hiding in the closet won't help you," Alaric said pushing past Leo and I and opening the closet door to find a distraught Freya on the floor. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and she looked defeated. Honey jumped at Freya until she finally picked him up, "I'd say rough day, but it's not even ten yet."
"I'm going to die. I can't solve this stupid riddle! I pissed off Aphrodite and who knows who else," she said.
"Hephaestus? They are married," Leo said not helping.
"So, you're going to hide in the closet?" Alaric said leaning against the closet looking down to Freya.
"Yes." She slid the door shut.
"Don't take this as an insult but how did you even swing getting hundreds of people to throw themselves at you?" Leo asked.
Freya cracked the door and throughout her shell earrings, "Take them! I can't just have a cute day. Nnnnnooooo I get a crazy fan boy mob." She slid the door close again, "Take them."
"Don't mind if I do," Leo said pocketing the shell earrings.
"Hey! No pity party's so get up and go to your first day of school," Alaric said. Nothing. "They may have cookies and milk?" Alaric continued.
Throwing the door back Freya cried out, "I am going to die! I'm not fucking around! I got lucky with Hera-"
"No one gets lucky with Hera, just ask Hercules," Leo stated cutting in.
"We can help," I finally said. She made eye contact with me and I could see worry in every swirl of grey.
"What's the riddle, again?" Leo said going to sit on Freya's bed.
"I drive men, for love of me, easily beaten, never free. I know the answer is gold, but what gold?"
"And you thought it was the statues?" Which is a good guess. That's where I would have started.
"They aren't made of real gold," Alaric announced, "Haven isn't made of money."
"When what is?"
"Ask the book," Leo added. Alaric open the book in his hand and asked it the riddle.
"Ajo says, 'fuck you, basically'. She won't help us cheat the game," Freya moaned and shut the door back.
"We will find it. Have patience and hope," I said. Even if it comes down to us failing. I won't let Zeus or anyone else hurt you. I vowed.
Thank you. She said with real sincerity.
"You know I'm always down to ditch," Alaric said reopening the door. "The only real gold on campus besides the golden power of friendship, is Zeus's coin."
"Oh right!" Leo exclaimed, "I forgot about that."
"I've seen weirdest stuff happened today. Who's to say it's not real?" I said.
"What's is Zeus's coin?"
"Do you know anything about Sodom and Gomorrah?" I asked.
"Yes, it's the city God destroyed with fire and brimstone. But that has nothing to do with Greek mythology?"
"More than the humans know," Leo said.
"There's always two halves to a story," I pointed it out, "While your God destroy the city. Legend says the only person that looked at the destruction was Zeus. He stood on a nearby hilltop and watched as a city was destroyed. He was so beside himself so in awe of a power greater than himself. That when the city was finally destroyed, he left a coin."
"A golden coin with his face on it," Leo added.
"The coin was the only time Zeus shown any ounce of bewilderment."
"Basically, he threw a dollar at something he had never seen before," Alaric reasoned.
"No, it was a mighty God realizing there was still something out there more powerful and more destructive than he could ever be. Moral of the story is no matter how big you see yourself, there's always something bigger out there," I said.
"Well great! Where is this coin?" Freya said coming out of the closet.
"See that's the thing, The Elders keep it hidden away somewhere underneath Haven. So, unless you have maps of the underground school system, that's another dead end," Leo stated.
"Actually, I know someone who does," Freya said.
"Who?" I asked.
"This isn't me picking a side. But a couple things need to be put out there," Freya launch into her story.
"Anson has maps of Haven! Why didn't you say anything?!" I yelled.
"At the time I was more focused on getting us to work together. But, now well..." She held out her phone and showed me a conversation with him.
"See you soon?" Leo said reading the conversation over my shoulder.
"Take this to The Elders," I told Leo. He hasn't attacked yet. We still had time.
"Freya, where are the maps?" I asked trying to stay calm.
"In Anson's apartment. Under his bed." She answered.
"Great." Directly in enemy territory. I walked over to her feeling myself getting frustrated. I touched her arm and she touched Alaric's head. "Let's go."