Page 6 of Vampire's Promise
“I don’t know. When I sent Brianna to the afterlife, I know she was still with child.” He dropped his gaze to the floor. “Gods are powerful, as you know. My only conclusion is that someone switched my son with another.”
“Who would do such a thing and for what reason?” While she knew gods held a lot of power, this seemed over the top.
He shook his head. “I do not have an answer to that either, but soon after I felt him, he was gone again. I want you to find him and bring him to me.”
That was a plan she could wrap herself around since she had already decided she was going to find him. She was actuallyexcited to have something else to do other than bounce people out of a nightclub. Her life needed meaning right now and this would be a perfect distraction, but Argathos was better equipped to find his son than her. “You know I’m happy to assist, want to help, but wouldn’t you find him faster than me?”
“I’m not so certain of that, considering you are his mate. Besides, I need to meet with my brothers. Tell them what has happened so we may figure out who is responsible for taking my son.” The room filled with anger before he reined it back in. “Of course, I will provide whatever assistance I can.”
“I understand and I will do everything I can.” She chewed her lip. “Though I did just promise Marcus I would come visit my niece. She’s been asking for me.”
“You must keep that promise.” He smiled. “The child is growing up so fast.” He rose. “Come to me once you are rested and I will prepare you for your journey. Also, you may be away for some time, so your visit will be an excellent opportunity to tell the others I have tasked you with an assignment. They will not ask questions and it will explain if they cannot find you.”
“Of course.”
He gave her a slight bow. “Until we meet again.” Then there was nothing more than pinpoints of white light where he once stood.
She was wrapped too tight to go back to bed. Tucking her feet under her, she curled into the chair and closed her eyes, thinking about her vision and conversation with Argathos. It seemed like a crazy idea that someone would switch a baby that was only a few months in the womb. The even bigger questions were who and why? Her heart raced as she recalled the angry power she had felt. Where had her mate gone and how the hell was she going to find him? She tried to latch onto anything that might help her. Her visions had gotten more accurate over the years, and maybe there was something she had missed. After severaldeep breaths, she focused on the memory of his face. The warm gaze filled with curiosity. The soft lines of his face and the dark shadow that covered his jaw. She bet his smile was incredible. The need to find him was a drive more intense than even her own survival. She would do anything to protect him.
Absolutely. Any. Fucking. Thing.
“I will find you. I promise,” she whispered.
CHAPTER FOUR
The air chilledas he made his way across the barren terrain. When he crested the top of a hill, he spotted a valley full of lush greenness with a flowing river. It was most definitely out of place amongst the red rocky landscape, but he was hopeful it at least held shelter. Checking his power, he decided to see if he could flash there and was both relieved and thrilled when he landed next to the water. He scanned the area and found no life, but oddly, there was a table with food and drink sitting on it and a large tent nearby. As he picked up a berry from a platter and sniffed it, a man exited the tent. While he hadn’t sensed life here, he realized exactly why. The man towering over him was a god. Probably had just flashed in. Kian debated if he should kneel, but not knowing who this god was, he decided to wait and see.
“Are you the one responsible for my being here?”
The god offered a wicked grin. “I am Khedeus, the god of judgment and you are my prisoner.”
“What crime have I committed?”
Khedeus’s gray eyes sparked with lightning as his voice rumbled across the landscape. “You were born.”
Not wanting to piss off this god but requiring a better answer, he spoke. “Can you elaborate? My birth can hardly be a crime.”
“I owe you nothing. Be grateful I will provide you with this small respite.” He waved his hand toward the food and tent. “You will serve your time here by building me a temple. You will work from sunrise to sunset.”
His anger rose. “And if I refuse?”
The god stepped into his space. “You already know you cannot leave here. What you may not have discovered yet is that you also cannot call up food or shelter. Your power here is limited. Piss me off and I will leave you with nothing but starvation.”
“Is that what happened to the others?” Of course, he referred to the bones he saw earlier. Immortals would suffer greatly without nourishment. He would starve and his body would heal. The cycle would continue for centuries and become an endless amount of pain until one was finally given mercy. The god tipped his head and smiled, leaving Kian to his own mental picture of torture. “You should have stayed in your own world where you were safe under your mother’s protection.”
“How long must I endure this?”
“I will revisit your term once you finish the temple.” Then he shoved into Kian’s mind and dumped the blueprints for his monstrosity of a pyramid.
“Fucking hell.” He rubbed his temples and was about to ask another question, but noticed he was alone. Checking his power once more, he found he still could not open a portal. Then he tried to call a change of clothes to him and was happy to discover at least that worked. So, he was allowed some things as the god had stated. While he pondered his predicament, he decided he might as well eat the food offered to him. The instructions left to him showed the work was going to prove difficult. He would be forced to perform some physical labor. Taking a bite of an apple, he wondered if his mother might find him. He also contemplated the fact that she might very well be the reason forhis situation. If not directly, perhaps she pissed someone off and they had sought retribution through him. It seemed his birth was shrouded in a lot of mystery.
Argathos wastedlittle time in calling his brothers to him for a meeting. All had responded, so now he simply waited for them to appear. He had sent Gwen away to fulfill the promise made to her family while he tried to gather more information. Aidyn was the first to show since he was already here in the same realm, followed by Zarek.
“Your message sounded desperate,” Aidyn said as he took a seat.
“Why am I not surprised that we are waiting for Hades?” Zarek asked as he stood near the window, arms folded over his chest, looking every bit the king of gods.
“Iamdesperate and give Hades a break.” No sooner had Argathos spoke than the ruler of the worst realm in the universe showed up in a black puff of smoke.
