Bonds of Hercules (Villains of Lore, #2)(121)

Creatures and Spartans cowered in their seats—war was narrowly avoided.

Zeus turned back to the arena. “SECOND ROUND!”

The gate slowly lifted.

A familiar ungodly screech echoed through the arena.

Murmurs and gasps of shock chorused.

“HOW DARE YOU!” Ares’s voice boomed.

“They are under INVESTIGATION!” Hades shouted. “WHAT IS THIS?”

Zeus’s voice echoed around the stadium. “The federation has ruled this appropriate to test her might—she’s defeated them before, she can do it again.”

“YOU WANT WAR!” Hades responded.

“NO,” Zeus bellowed. “I WANT WHAT IS BEST FOR SPARTA … This is on her honor—she must prove her might.” He waved his scepter. “Don’t … make me use this.”

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Lord Acton must have been a Spartan with the power of fate foreseeing this very moment.

Turning toward the Chthonic section, I shook my head no, hoping Hades understood the message.

This was my task, my revenge.

Fluffy Jr. whined at my feet, and Nyx was still unmoving, wrapped around my leg.

Agony throbbed. My field of vision was rapidly diminishing.

The gate lifted fully.

Acceptance washed over me—I’d found my limit—there were no emotions left to feel.

Screeeeeech.





44


THE 12 LABORS OF HERCULES CONTINUES




ALEXIS

The sound filled the coliseum.

Abject fear rooted me to the spot.

Spartans screamed in terror.

Fluffy Jr. twitched next to me, whimpering as his hump glowed brightly.

Two blurry monsters stomped out of the darkness, objects protruding from their backs.

Titans.

Jagged wings jutted from their backs, and golden tags were threaded through their lips. It was the same two Titans I’d fought in Rome.

They were once again unchained.

Is this why the federation had us tag them? Was this their plan all along?

There was no doubt left in my mind—Zeus was trying to eliminate me.

Everything was fuzzy, colors bleeding together. I gripped my calculator in my pocket and clutched the strange rod in my other hand.

Screeeeeech.

The Titans unhinged their jaws, their eyes locked solely on me.

I stared back, face throbbing in time with my heartbeat.

RIPPPP.

The Titans hadn’t moved.

In slow motion, I looked down—the sound had come from Fluffy Jr.

RIPPPPP.

The lump on his back had split down the center. Something was … emerging?

The Titans shrieked in unison, leathery wings flapping.

My head shot up.

Sweat dripped down, stinging my swollen eyes. Visibility worsened. For a second, everything went dark. I shook my head to clear my vision.

Patchwork wings spread wide as both Titans leaned forward, ready to attack.

Fluffy Jr. howled as he kicked sand at my feet, another ripping sound echoed, but I didn’t have time to look down.

I raised my arm and pointed the sharp end of the bloody rod up at the beasts.

The Titans screeched.

I was already running, sprinting across the sand—rod held high.

Wings flapped and they shot toward me, flashes of black.

Lungs heaving, my side throbbing, I pumped my legs, sand spraying as I sprinted with all my might.

Air whistled.

I dodged swiping talons and swung the heavy rod with both hands like a baseball bat.

White-hot agony scoured my already ruined side as their talons sliced at me—they screeched in my face—I screamed back. Our pitch was flat. Mozart would not have loved this.

Black wings beat loudly as all three of us stumbled—I’d clipped both of them with my swing, and pain was exploding inside my chest as my power activated. My blood was inside them, devouring.

The Titans fell to their knees, foam streaming from their lips.

I clutched at my side—sticky blood poured from deep talon grooves that aligned perfectly with lion claw marks, coating my fingers in liquid.

The Titans’ gurgles quieted, ligaments snapping as they looked up at me in unison.

Eighteen-year-old Mary Shelley winked at me as she penned Frankenstein.

I backed away.

There was nowhere to run—the steel gate was still lowered. The round wasn’t over, and electric lines hummed above—I couldn’t leap away.

My wounds throbbed.

I was losing too much blood.

I stumbled across the bloody sand, away from the monsters, and my own failings—toward Fluffy Jr.—grunting through the pain.

The stadium was dead silent.

Dropping my rod—it sizzled into a puddle of blood—I fell to my knees beside Fluffy Jr., twisting so I didn’t put pressure on Nyx.

He was still collapsed on his stomach, panting heavily.

Mucus and … something pointy was sprawled behind him. Half covered in sand, it was impossible to tell what it was with my limited vision.

I didn’t have time left to figure it out.

I clutched at his muzzle and peppered kisses across his face.

“I love you. I love you, I love you,” I whispered, the mantra falling from my lips, tears pouring from my eyes.

Titans screeched behind me.