Page 13 of Vampire's Promise
“I have not, but I’ve learned not to test a god. Apparently, you have learned no such lesson.” The tone of his voice said he was in no better mood than her.
“Fine,” she sighed and tossed off her covers. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, she followed Kian from the tent, her clothes changing as they walked, which was a pretty damn handy trick.
Outside, the table held a tray full of bananas, several small quiches, and bread. “No coffee?”
“I don’t know what this coffee is you speak of.” Kian grabbed a quiche and took a bite.
“Seriously? You are missing out and I am not a happy camper at all if I don’t get my coffee.”Or laid.She thought as she grabbed a banana and pulled back the peel.
His brow jacked up. “I don’t even know how to respond to that.”
Crossing her arms, she glared. “Well, you are a god, can’t you conjure me some coffee? Iced would be perfect in this hothouse from hell.”
“It is not I who provides this nourishment. Take it up with your captor.”
Rather than respond, she ate in silence. There was no use in arguing with him over something neither of them had control over. Best to pick your battles, her brother had always taught her, and this wasn’t one of them. For the next few minutes, they continued in silence until he shoved the food aside and stood.
“Your attire won’t do.”
Before she could utter a word, gone was the soft pretty dress and jewelry and in its place was a simple linen dress that covered her shoulders and fell to her ankles. She looked down at herself, then back at him. “Why the change?”
Rather than answer her, he simply said. “We need to go.”
“Fine.” She stood, not willing to argue over clothing. “Where are we going, exactly?”
“To the work site. We need to mix the limestone and pour it into molds.” He held out his hand. “I will flash us there and then I will show you what needs to be done.”
She gave a nod then placed her hand in his, noting he had callouses which were not normal for a god or demigod. Did he have them before, or were they from the time he’d spent here? While she contemplated the thought, he flashed them, and they appeared in an expansive area filled with buckets and a large outcrop of soft limestone.
“What do we do with this?”
“We will mix the limestone with water and a few other materials to form a mud which we then have to take over there.” He pointed to the south, where she spotted several large blocks already laid out. “There we pour it into the mold to form the large stones.”
“And we can flash there, I assume?”
“Yes, but magic doesn’t work on the actual labor of mixing and pouring.”
“Sounds dreadful.” She decided now was as good a time as any to tell him what she knew about his parents. “Do you know who you really are?”
He looked up from his work, where he was filling a bucket of limestone. “What a ridiculous question. I am Kian, son of the goddess of destruction.”
She offered a smile. “Not really. You are the son of Argathos, the god of visions, and his murdered mortal wife, Brianna.”
His gaze narrowed, and she sensed his heart rate quicken as he looked around, as if he expected someone to be lurking nearby. “What the hell are you talking about? Where did you hear such ridiculous information?”
“Straight from your father. He asked me to locate you, although this wasn’t the way I expected to do it.” She took a step closer. “Look. Your father did not know you were still alive. It’s a long story, but I fear whoever was behind this will have an exorbitant price put on their head. All of your uncles are now searching for you, and they are not gods anyone should mess with.”
He stared at her for several seconds as if he were gauging whether or not to believe her. “Why would anyone fear these gods? My mother is a queen and destruction is what she excels at.”
Gwen laughed. “You have never met your true family. Your father is the kindest of them all and probably the most level-headed, but when he felt your presence… Well, I have never seen him so angry. Your uncle Hades is the god of the Underworld and sinister might as well be his middle name. Then there is Pyros. We call him Aidyn, but that’s another story. Anyway, he is the Phoenix god newly reborn and holds the only weapon that can kill anyone. Yes, even a god.” Her smile widened. “And then there’s Zarek. He’s the king and when I say king, I mean of allgods and immortals. There are several others and their mates, but those four are your blood-born family.”
“You say my mother was murdered?”
She nodded, glad he was asking questions. “Yes. There was a war many centuries ago because your father fell in love with and married a mortal. She was pregnant at the time and your father thought you lost when she died. However, he now suspects someone switched you with another and the fetus he sent to the afterlife with your mother was an innocent child.”
“What proof do you have?”
“I have nothing other than you are a spitting image of your father. Unfortunately, since I was basically forced here, I never got the chance to speak to Argathos again. My brother is probably in a panic since I heard him yelling as I was being sucked away. Do you think anyone will be able to find us?”
