Neon Gods (Dark Olympus #1)(94)

Demeter and a full half of the Thirteen are only too happy for me to be their weapon. There isn’t a single fucking person that will hold it against me if I kill him…

Except Persephone.

Except me.

“If I pull this trigger, I’m no better than you.” I shake my head slowly. “I’m no better than every other member of the Thirteen who is willing to commit unforgiveable acts to get more power.” I don’t want more power, but no one looking in from the outside would believe it.

Zeus smirks. “You aren’t better than us, boy. You might play king down in the lower city, but when push comes to shove, you’re beating a man nearly to death and showing up here to threaten me with a gun. It’s exactly what I would have done in your position.”

“I’m nothing like you.” I practically spit the words.

He laughs. “Aren’t you? Because you don’t look like the good guy from where I’m standing.”

I hate that he’s right.

I can’t kill him.

Not like this.

Slowly, I lower the gun. “I’m nothing like you,” I repeat.

He snorts. “That’s twice in as many days that you’ve violated our treaty. Even if I was willing to look the other way on the first, the Thirteen won’t ignore this attack. They’ll howl for your blood.”

“Will they?” I allow myself a fierce grin. Finally, fucking finally, I know something this bastard doesn’t. If I can’t kill him, at least I can accomplish this. “You really believe your own fantasy, do you?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“You shouldn’t have sent your men after Demeter’s daughters.” I tsk. “If she was willing to cut off food to half the city to get Persephone back, what do you think she’s willing to do to you for ordering your man to stab Eurydice?”

“Cut off half the food…” Zeus goes still, surprise widening his eyes. “That wasn’t part of the plan.”

I have to fight back a laugh. I’ll never forgive Demeter for trying to hand Persephone over to this man, but I can’t help my dark amusement at how thoroughly she’s undermined him in such a short time. “Maybe not your plan. She’s been playing at her own game from the beginning. You’re just the only dumb fuck who didn’t realize it.”

“She might have been willing to go through such lengths against you, but she knows who feeds her.”

“Yes.” I wait for him to relax the tiniest bit before cutting his legs out from beneath him. “Olympus feeds her. Olympus feeds all of the Thirteen. Even you—especially you. They’ve looked the other way time and time again and ignored your sins. Now it’s time to pay the piper.”

“You’re not here for justice.” He sneers. “You’re here for petty revenge.”

My hand tightens on the gun before I regain control. Petty revenge. That’s what he calls wanting justice for the death of my parents. I take a slow breath. “Call the whole thing off and I’ll consider us even.”

Zeus raises his brows. “Call what off? The war? Or my marriage to that pretty little daughter of Demeter? Persephone.”

“Keep her name out of your mouth.” I stalk toward him.

“That deal is signed, sealed, and only needs to be delivered. She’s my reward for crushing the remaining resistance you represent.” He grins. “I intend to take a whole lot of pleasure now that you’ve broken her in.”

I know he’s baiting me, but now that I’m standing here, nothing seems cut and dried. “She’s not yours. She belongs to no one but herself.”

“That’s your mistake.” He laughs. “You put yourself in a position to take it all—my life, that woman, your revenge—and you lose your nerve at the last moment.” A mean glint in his pale blue eyes. “Just like your old man.”

“Fuck you.”

Zeus lunges for me, faster than he has any right to be, and grabs at the gun. He’s stronger than I expect, too. Even though I try to wrench away, he maintains his grip on my arm. I pull the trigger reflexively, but the shot goes wide. Zeus jerks me closer, still trying to get my hand off the gun. The look in his eyes spells my death. I might have hesitated to kill him. He won’t return the favor.

I distantly register the sound of glass shattering, but I’m too busy fighting for possession of the gun to worry about it. I twist my arm in his direction and pull the trigger again, but he’s ready for me and the bullet bites the floor at our feet.

Zeus finally gets a good grip on my wrist and brings my arm down on his knee. Fuck, that hurt. Despite my best efforts, I lose my grip on the gun. I glance down, trying to figure out where it went. Zeus takes advantage of my distraction and punches me in the face.

The room wavers around me. That fucker has one hell of a force behind his hits. Another punch and he might actually knock me out. I shake my head, but it does nothing to quell the ringing in my ears.

Thoughts and plans and strategy fly out the window. Instinct alone rules. I manage to get my arm up to block his next punch, and the impact of the blow sends me sliding back several inches. I slam my fist into his stomach, and he wheezes. He’s fast and hits like a freight train, and I’m hampered because even though I hate the fucker, I can still hear Persephone’s panicked voice in the back of my head.