Sin & Surrender (Demigod of San Francisco #6)(81)

“Who the fuck are you?” I demanded, and then pointed at Damion. “This guy says he is Harding—well, Damion now, but Harding once. I believe him—he’s as cracked as I would expect for someone with his history. You aren’t the last Spirit Walker, but you know the same stuff. Who are you?”

Harding put out his hands. “April Fool’s?” He laughed. “I fooled you, I’m sorry. You have to understand, I’m not technically supposed to interfere in the lives of humans. That’s the agreement I made not long ago with my brothers. Well…not long ago by my standards. A few of your lifetimes, at least.”

I put my hand to my head, dizzy again. Disbelief rolled through the soul link.

Harding put out his hand to me, and I flinched away.

“We don’t have time to walk through spirit right now, Alexis, but I’m going to give you energy so you and your Demigod don’t pass out on me.”

I furrowed my brow but let him touch my shoulder, a real hand, not spirit. Then again, he’d always felt real to me—more so than any spirit should.

Energy flooded me.

“What the hell is going on?” I whispered.

He took his hand back, and I sucked in a breath, feeling better than new. Kieran straightened a little more, and I could sense the energy had transferred to him through the link.

“Here’s what the hell is going on. We are related.” He grinned at me. “I am”—he pointed at Magnus—“that guy’s dad, many, many moons ago. His mother was very pretty. I couldn’t resist.” He gestured between us. “Makes our interactions a little gross by your standards, I grant you, but just remember that by my standards”—he shrugged—“it’s just another day.”

“Wait…” My mind went blank, the enormity of what he was saying starting to sink in. “You’re not… You can’t be…”

“Yeah.” He spread his arms wide. “I’m Hades.”





24





Alexis





Everyone in the room except for Bria and me dropped down to a knee, their heads bowed, paying their respects to one of the three most powerful gods. I realized my mouth was open, but I didn’t know what to say. I honestly hadn’t even really believed the gods existed. Theoretically, sure, but they’d been away for so long (lifetimes and lifetimes) that part of me had wondered if someone had invented fake people to go with the magic that had existed as long as humanity. It was easier to understand the magic when you had a myth to go with it.

To have one of them standing in front of me, claiming he’d sired my biological father… Saying he’d been training me!

There were no words.

“First, I just need to…” Harding—Hades!—turned and spied Red’s spirit up against the wall. He put up his hand and beckoned her closer with his finger. She came as if pulled. “Time to say goodbye, love. You’ve had a good run, but you should’ve died in Lydia’s mansion. You felt that, right?”

Her eyes were tight and her mouth had reduced down to a thin, tense line. She nodded.

“Wait a minute,” I said, finally finding my words. “No, she shouldn’t have. She was fine. She’s not too far gone. I can still save her!”

Hades shook his head slowly. “Not this time. No, her time came and went. I didn’t have the heart to take her when you were dealing with your daddy issues. She knew she was on borrowed time. Why do you think she sacrificed herself?” Comfort and the feeling of protection washed over me, and I knew it was his magic. “I’ll watch out for her, Alexis, don’t worry. And when you’re skilled enough at your craft, you can come visit. How does that sound?”

I knew I didn’t have a choice, so with tears stinging my eyes, I nodded.

“You were excellent,” I said to her. “You did a really excellent job. You’ll be missed.” Tears slid down my face. “I’m sorry to—”

She held up her hand. “Don’t say you’re sorry. Most magical people would give their left tit to have been in my place, even if they had to die for it. We were trained for battle, and that’s exactly what you gave us. I felt alive when guarding you. Thank you. And now, look”—she hooked a thumb at Hades—“I have an in. Can’t beat that.”

“Warm fuzzies all around,” Hades said sarcastically. A moment later, she was gone.

My body shook with suppressed sobs, but I held strong. I couldn’t go to pieces yet over losing another of our people. I couldn’t let guilt surge up and steal my focus.

“Okay, what’s next?” Hades looked around the crowded room, all eyes on him, no one speaking. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in this kind of scene. I’ve missed it, I’ll be honest with you. A golden throne and someone to feed me grapes would be just the thing.”

I opened and closed my mouth like a fish, wiping my renewed tears. I still couldn’t find words, not for any of this.

He laughed. “You had no idea who I was, I know. I thought maybe your Demigod would catch on, but he’s so young, and I’ve changed my image recently. What do you think? Like it?” He framed his face with his hands. “Only that clever little Necromancer figured me out. It was the whole ‘spirit in a cat’ shtick—Possessors inhabiting a body wouldn’t be able to get through your magic, even in a cat, and neither would they be able to communicate with you through the animal. Animals can’t talk, you know. It was a little far-fetched, but you lot are so ignorant when it comes to my magical type. I figured I’d take a chance.”