Page 21 of Vampire's Promise
She rose and tipped her head. “Much has happened.” She focused her gaze on Argathos. “God of vision, your son lives as the son of Netasis.”
Argathos jumped to his feet, his fingers rolled into fists, and a throb built at his temple. “Explain.”
“I do not know how it came to be, but Netasis bore your son while rumors abound you were all dead. Kian has been raised as her own while she refuses to speak of his father.” Her gaze softened. “But I gave him the truth, and he has set forth to the new mortal realm to seek you out.”
Zarek scratched his jaw. “When did this truth come to you, Ardea?” Everyone knew that the goddess of truth simply knew things. Those things might not come to her for years, but eventually they would come.
“A fortnight ago. I went to Kian the next morning.”
“Tell us all that you know,” Zarek commanded.
“I woke knowing that someone took Kian from his mother right before she was murdered. They were powerful enough to lay a spell on Brianna that made her appear still with child. Truth has not shown me the perpetrator, unfortunately. I cannot tell you if Netasis was involved or simply an innocent vessel to carry the babe. When this truth came to me, I then knew that all of you lived.”
“My son came to the mortal realm, but someone has taken him along with his mate.”
Her brows dipped. “What do you mean, taken?”
“I mean, he was there, then he was gone. Ripped away by an angry force.” Argathos felt his fangs trying to make a pissed-off appearance. “One of our own, I would assume.”
“I am so sorry. Of course, that is why you are here then, to question everyone.”
“It is, and also I have been remiss in my duties and allowed all of you to do whatever you want,” Zarek spoke as he leaned forward. “Things have changed, Ardea, and we have grown more powerful.”
“Then you should know that Netasis now calls herself queen and all here defer to her rule.”
“Is that so?” Hades laughed. “I’m sure I speak for all of us here when I say that we do not fear the goddess of destruction, nor do we defer to her rule.”
Ardea bowed her head. “Of course. I would expect nothing less, especially from you, Hades.” She lifted her gaze and grinned. “Many still whisper your name here.”
Zarek rose and walked toward her. “We appreciate your coming here and any other information you can offer will be seen as an act of loyalty to the crown.”
She gave a deep curtsy. “Of course, your Majesty. I will contact you if I should learn anything else.” Bowing, she backed away until she was at the room’s mid-point, then turned and walked out.
The room rippled with power and a flash of light revealed a warrior who had not been seen in a very long time. Gabriel folded his wings to his back. “Sire, you have need of my services?”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
This time Kianhad no control over his fall or that of Gwen and this shit was pissing him off. As he spiraled and Gwen screamed, they plunged into an inky blackness for several seconds before they busted through into a landscape covered by lush green fields. As the ground closed in on them, their descent slowed, and they seemed to ease down to the grass with the utmost care. That was certainly different from the last world change.
“Ugh! What is his fucking problem?” Gwen looked around, her eyes wide. “Wait, I know this place.” She jumped to her feet, a large smile on her sexy mouth, before a sword appeared in her raised hand and her legs were suddenly clad in skin-tight black leather. Her cropped leather top was low cut and gave him a view of the swell of her creamy breasts. As she cut the blade through the air, she made one sexy-ass warrior.
“You have power, and where are we?” He checked his own power and found he was back to his normal self. Relief and apprehension swept over him as he wondered what trick the god of judgment played now. Or had Khedeus had anything to do with their recent jumps? As he contemplated, it seemed each time they were moved between worlds, there was one common factor. The shaking ground.
“We are in Hell and that asshole has no jurisdiction here.” She frowned. “Which makes no sense why he would have sent us here.”
Kian studied the surrounding landscape. While it looked welcoming, he sensed they were being watched. “I’m not sure. Have you noticed that every time there is a shaking of the ground, we get dumped into another world?”
“Hmm. You have a valid point.” Her forehead creased.
“I’m beginning to suspect that perhaps it was never him once we left the Skeletal Moon.” Which meant that if Khedeus was no longer involved, then neither was the option of making Gwen his concubine and that brought him relief. Perhaps now they could explore whatever this was between them without other ties involved.
“You think it has something to do with your waking relative?”
“Perhaps, but I would use caution. Khedeus could still take us again and this time the price might be even higher.”
She stepped closer and held out her hand. “Lucky for you I was never affected by Drayos’s curse.”
He hesitated in accepting her hand, knowing what touching her did to him. “What is Drayos’s curse?”
