Chapter Twelve

*strong language warning*

The gentle sound of waves lapping fill my mind, the sound of trees rustling in the gentle breeze. The briny salt of the sea coats my lips, drying my mouth out. The trip to Kypros was unpleasant to say the least. The sun was brutally hot, burning my pale skin. Mortals and Gods alike fought for my attention at every turn, making the, supposed to be, relaxing trip, sour.

My temples throb, my eyes sore and body aching. Days of traveling and partying have taken its toll. Some of the Gods and Goddesses left for a trip and I found it a good way to get away from Hephaestus. Zeus hastily married me off, worried the Gods and immortals would fight for my hand in marriage.

The waves lap against my feet, cooling my body, a slight reprieve from the brutal sun that has chased us this whole cursed trip. It's our last day and the sky is gloomy, which is a welcome respite. We will be leaving in an hour and I sneaked away, hoping to get some time to myself before we return to Olympus, with its backstabbing Gods and Goddesses and social climbing immortals.

Steps sound behind me, approaching. I turn and see Zeus striding towards me, wearing only a pair of swim shorts. "Come to enjoy a swim before we go?" I ask.

"Yes," he says, blue eyes roving me.

I wear a flowy, flimsy dress to give my sun burns a break from being chafed by shorts and tight dresses. "I'll leave you to it." The way his eyes rove me makes my skin crawl. While I have always been comfortable in my beauty, it calls for a lot of unwanted attention and sometimes advances.

Zeus catches my wrist as I turn to go, pulling me against him, evidence of his thoughts portrayed on his body. Bile climbs up my throats. "I could use some company, especially some such as you." His voice is like rolling thunder, impending doom.

"No, thank you, really. Artemis will wondering where I am." I shake my head, trying to free myself of his grip.

His hold on me tightens. "She's busy." He insists. Sliding a hand down my back.

I squirm, attempting to free myself of this sick embrace. "I don't want to stay, Zeus." I try to put power behind my voice so he knows I am serious.

My efforts are all in vain for his hand slips down my leg, pushing the flimsy ass dress up. In a panic, I ram my knee between his legs, causing him to double over. "Keep your hands off me you sick fuck."

I run off to the resort where Artemis waits for me, a warm smile on her face. "I am so ready to have my bed back," she says.

With a last glance behind me, I swallow hard, forcing a smile onto my lips. "Yeah, me too."

-~-

My breath catches in my throat and my head rolls as I attempt to pick it up from my chest. My head spins and the memory causes bile to churn in my stomach and I work to calm myself, assess the situation.

Around me are empty crates and men. All men, actually. They stand around with guns and enough drugs to knock out an elephant. Their words all slur together in my mind and I feel duct tape binding my hands to the chair I sit in. They all wear biker jackets and on the back I can see a ghost tinged with red flame.

Fucking bikers.

As the drug wears off I lean back in the chair, raising an eyebrow, tilting my head to the side.

"What are you so smug about bitch?" One biker with black hair spats.

I shrug, tossing my hair over my shoulder. "Nothing." I flick my eyes over him up and down and tsk, the same thing I did to Ares in that bar all those weeks ago. Yet it has the opposite effect on this man.

The man shifts, stalking closer. "What is it?"

"You just seem so..." I shrug and survey the rest of the room, letting him stew on what he could be lacking on.

He seethes and pulls back his fist and punches me in the jaw. The coppery taste of blood fills my mouth. I work my jaw and tip my head back, looking him up and down again. "Just as I thought."

"You sick, fucking cunt." He cocks his fist back again and punches my nose, part of his knuckle striking my eye.

Ooph that's going to leave a mark. My nose spurts blood and another member of the Crimson Phantoms grabs the woman hitter. "Stop, Greg. If you do too much damage Ares will see and there will be no chance of fucking ending that bastard. Once he's dead then you can have your crack at her."

"I'll do more than take a crack at her." he glares at me.

I scoff, rolling my eyes. Humans, while interesting, breed stupidity. "Good luck with that," I mutter.

This riles up the black haired man, while he doesn't hit me again, he paces right in front of me. "You don't know what you're talking about. You don't understand the thing you're sleeping with. He's a killer and his reign of oppression is over."

"Oh?" I smirk. "He isn't called Ares for nothing."

"Just you wait, I'll pull the trigger right in front of your eyes, then after that I will give you to the initiates. We will see how long that sass stays with a dick in every opening."

My heart stutters at the threat, but I move on, undeterred. Ares will come and if he doesn’t I will find a way out of this before one of those nasty grunts lay a finger on me. "See how much they appreciate you when I bite their dick off."

Half the men in the warehouse cringe, rubbing at their crotch as if my threat hurt them physically. Good, let them know that I won't allow myself to be used.

The man stomps off and I hear bait and Ares. I could have guessed that myself. They use me to bait Ares. Seems fitting after we just said the big three words. Then men shoot their guns at empty beer bottles, even once I offer to balance it on my head while they take a shot, the black haired man was enthused for it, but the others refused, scolding him for attempting to destroy their "carefully worked plan" to capture Ares.

It's almost an unfair advantage. A group of men in leather jackets going against Ares, God of War. It almost makes me feel bad for them.

Almost.

Once I am free, they will regret messing with a Goddess.