Wed and Dead *some triggering language*

As Hypnos began chanting the intricate designs on the jug in his hand triggered, releasing lightning-charged bright light throughout the thick fog and mist enclosing the area. Raven and Isha quickly leaped from their seats and to Jos's side, each clutching her arms tightly. "Girl, you need to get the hell outta here!" Raven growled over the harsh crackle of the now static-charged mist all around them.

Jos gave their hands a squeeze. "I'll be fine. He'll not hurt me and likely not you either, if you're truly related and on his side."

Raven shook her head. "Girl, we're not sticking around to find out! I love you, but this shit is just too wack!"

Jos gave her hand another squeeze. "You guys go. We'll be fine. I promise. I'll call when it's over."

Isha's nervous gaze moved to the jug. "Don't… don't get too close… That's really old, really powerful magic. If you get too close you could get sucked in and trapped forever as well."

Jos nodded. "I know… Trust me…"

Isha sent her a sad frown. "Ok… well call us… We're going to stop by and let Shelly and Rin know what's going on… We'll wait for your call there."

Jos nodded but didn't take her eyes off the brightly glowing stage. It was so beautiful she couldn't pull her gaze away. She could feel a pull toward it, her feet wanted to move involuntarily toward it as well.

Poseidon sucked in a breath before unleashing a string of curses. His eyes moved around the small crowd of remaining guests. The terrifying Oneroi were now holding Apollo and Artemis in place keeping them from walking forward. He quickly turned and pushed Arei, Jos, Andy, and Peg as close together as possible before teleporting them onto the balcony where Ry was. He continued shoving everyone inside the bedroom as he glanced over his shoulder. "Quickly get inside and close the blinds and curtains! Don't look out until I come back… If I come back…" He muttered under his breath.

Ry's eyes widened as he caught his father's sleeve. "Wait! What's going on? What is that light down there?"

Poseidon's worried eyes moved around the room, before shooting back to the balcony. "No time to explain right now. Stay inside here and don't look out the windows or door. I'll be right back." With that, he vanished.

Ry quickly turned his attention to Jos and Arei. "What's going on?"

Arei shrugged. "Ask the mastermind here. I'm just as in the dark as you are… hell you seemed to know more about all this than me."

"Because you wanted left in the fucking dark!" Ry bit back.

Russ stood up off the bed and pushed between the two brothers who were now toe-to-toe. "Come on don't fight... not now."

Peg shook his head as he leaned against the wall and pulled back a corner of the curtain to pier outside. "I don't know if you're brave or stupid, kid…"

Poseidon quickly smacked Peg's hand away from the curtain. "You're stupid! Didn't I just say to stay away from the windows?!"

Peg arched a brow as he turned back into the room to see his dad now standing there with Apollo and Artemis in tow. His eyes moved between Artemis and Ry. "Well, this isn't going to be awkward… Maybe some of us would be better off with the soul-sucking death jug…"

"The what?!" Russ barked out in shock.

Peg blew out a sigh as he leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. "Pandora's box… or rather jug… not sure how jug and box was ever swapped in translation…" His eyes moved to Jos. "Were you aware of that part of his plan? And how dangerous it would be for the rest of us?"

Jos shook her head. "I told you, I only knew he wanted to get them together and take them to Tartarus."

Peg nodded. "Ok… well we have some time while he works his magic out there… why don't you tell us everything you know? That way we can all be on the same page when this is brought before the great courts… because it will be…" He slid to the floor and motioned for Andy to come sit between his legs. "Do start from the beginning, please. His involvement and yours…"

Jos waited for everyone to get as comfortable as possible in the cramped room. She blew out a nervous breath as she fumbled with her wedding band. "Our involvement with one another began the day I died…" Jos's voice trembled as she recalled the day she escaped from the DeMarco compound without her life and was taken to Tartarus instead of the underworld. She blew out another nervous sigh. "So… I said I'd need time to think things over, but when I began taking too long Hypnos tried a different method… and things got complicated for a bit… but anyways once I got to know him and learned about what had happened… I decided to help…" Her attention moved to Arei. "You see his story crossed over with you guys' story so many times I couldn't help but think it was fate or something… Hera tricked him into helping with the original coup against Zeus, the one you and Athena were a part of, Arei… Apollo…" They both nodded, remembering the god of sleep there. "She seduced him, promising to be his and make him her new king if he'd help her overthrow Zeus… but you know she never had plans to do so. He was privy to that in her dreams afterward." A hushed gasp filled the room. Jos nodded. "Yes, there's no hiding faked feelings from the god of sleep, I'm afraid… thus, the reason why her second attempt at seducing him didn't work. She tried to seduce him so that he would put Zeus to sleep, and she could win control of the Trojan War. She ended up promising him his wife's hand instead when he refused her… Well, instead of keeping her word and keeping their secret, she eventually told Zeus what Hypnos had done in one of their many fights, claiming how he was so much more powerful than Zeus that he'd brought down the 'king of gods' twice now. Because of Hera's words Zeus set out in vengeful, rage and drove Hypnos from his home and family. He imprisoned Hypnos's wife and after his sons and daughters sought revenge in his dreams, he found a way to block them from the mortal realm. Fearing his siblings would do the same, he then used underhanded methods to trap his siblings in Pandora's box." Jos moved her focus to her hands as she rested on the edge of the bed. "He and his family have long since found ways to escape Pandora's box, as you all know, and the imprisonments of Tartarus… but with Zeus and Hera still walking free, they would never be able to enjoy freedom…" Her eyes lifted and moved around the room. "That's all they want… Freedom… A chance to be a family again."

Everyone in the room was quiet for several long minutes before Poseidon finally spoke up. "And you're sure of this?"

Jos nodded. "I am… I wasn't at first… but I am now."

Poseidon nodded again. "Very well. Then I'll ask that everyone else stay here." His eyes moved to Arei. "I'm sorry for this." He stepped over and pressed his hand against his son's head and within a second Arei was out cold on the floor. He turned his attention back to Jos. "Let's go finish this then." He held his hand out and she took it, vanishing with him instantly.

Russ swallowed as he stared down at Arei's unconscious body. "Damn… Just damn…"

Ry ran his hand over the back of his neck as he moved over to Arei. "Yeah… Well, that's our father for you… His defense he probably knew Arei's stubborn ass wouldn't have let him leave this room with Jos without tagging along…" He grabbed Arei's upper body. "Here, Help me move him to the bed."

Artemis popped up from the bed. "Are you kidding! Then where will the rest of us sit? He'll take up the entire thing!"

Ry arched a brow. "It is his bed. Besides, you can sit on the floor. Isn't that where you prefer anyway Miss Wilderness?"

Apollo chuckled but didn't say anything.

Ry narrowed his eyes at the god. "What nothing smartassed from you? Or would you rather just put an arrow in my chest again when my back is turned?" He pulled his shirt apart causing buttons to snap off and revealed a scar above the bear tattoo. Apollo's eyes widened and instantly snapped around to Artemis in silent accusation. "That's what I thought."

Russ ran over and pulled Ry's hand away from his shirt and pushed him toward the far corner. "Not now, man." Ry narrowed his eyes on Artemis who was glaring at him while her brother yelled at her. He clasped the back of Russ's head and pulled his mouth roughly against his.

"Well, that just happened." Peg shook his head as he peered back out the window.

 Russ pushed against his chest as his entire face, neck, and ears turned red. "Not here… please…" His voice lowered. "You have both Jaden and my mark… they know… trust me…" His hands knotted into the front of Ry's button-up as he continued pushing him toward the opposite wall.

"Yes, listen to the kid! There is no need to prove how much of a whore you are! We are all very well aware Orion!" Artemis snapped.

"We have something that you and I could never have!" Ry napped back.

"What fleas? Crabs? Did you finally contract herpes?!"

"Love! You cold-hearted, selfish BITCH!"

"Love?! How can you call that love? They are pets! You have pets, Orion, congratulations!"

"You fucking cunt!"

Russ pushed as hard as he could against Ry's chest trying his best to hold him against the far wall. "She's just trying to piss you off. It's shit I would have said to Arei when he and Jos first started seeing each other…" He eased his grip as Ry relaxed in his arms and wrapped his arms around him, holding him instead of fighting against him, but the insults continued from the other side. "Just ignore her… "I never thought I'd be saying this to you… but after today, and thinking I'd lose you… you have me… you have all of me… I… I love you, too…" He whispered. Russ tightened his hold around Ry's waist and pressed his forehead against Ry's chest.

Ry's heart pounded against his chest, no longer because of the rage Artemis's insults were causing. He clutched Russ tightly with one arm and lifted his face to meet his with the other. "You mean it?" When Russ nodded, he lowered his lips to his in a soft, tender kiss. He was equal parts shocked and overjoyed when Russ returned his kiss without restraint.

Andy gasped in excitement, and Peg tried his best to stifle a laugh as a new fire lit under Artemis. She began fighting even harder against Apollo, who seemed equal parts irritated at his sister and turned on from the show at the opposite end of the room. 

"You son-of-a-bitch faggit ass motherfucker! How dare you leave me for dogs!" Artemis drew her bow and was about to shoot when Apollo stopped her.

Jaden gasped in shock as she jumped up from the bed and raced across the room to join Russ and Ry. The goddess she'd grown up idolizing was now acting no better than a spoiled teenager.

Apollo arched his brow as he held his sister in his arms. "Isn't that a little hypocritical of you, sister? It is no secret that you lay with your maidens…"

She snarled her lip at her brother as she pushed away from him. "Get off me. I'm leaving."

His brow arched again. "Were you not already gone? How did you get back anyway?"

She frowned. "I called father…"

Apollo narrowed his eyes. "Then you, sister, shall not go anywhere until matters below are completed." His eyes moved to Peg and Ry. "Help me bind her."

Jos clung to Poseidon's hand as they neared the stage. The light had reached its peak glow as every image on the jug was now glowing magnificently. They watched in silence as the two gods were slowly and painfully sucked inside the jug one at a time.

Hypnos performed another chant as he placed the plug into the jug, and a beautiful silver ribbon emerged from the mist and began encircling it. Once the final words of the ritual were over, the radiant glow vanished and the mist and shadows began to recede. Nemesis and Eris stepped over to Hypnos and took the Jug. "Careful my dear sisters." He said as he handed it over to them. "And don't forget to say your greetings and congratulations to our humble hostess before your departure, my dears." He turned his pleased smile to Jos, ignoring Poseidon who still stood beside her squeezing her hand.

Nemesis and Eris both floated down toward Jos and smiled wide sharp-toothed grins as they gave her slight bows. "Our thanks, friend. Shall we never meet again."

Hypnos chuckled as he made his way down the stage. He turned his attention to Poseidon. "She's safe now, I assure you." He turned an amused smile toward the balcony. "Though I wonder about that lot… Perhaps you should check on them while the rest of us say our parting farewells and bestow our own wedding gifts upon the blushing bride."

Poseidon sent Jos a questioning gaze. When Jos nodded. He blew out a heavy sigh. "Very well… I'll go make sure they haven't killed one another…"

Hypnos waited patiently as Poseidon teleported onto the balcony and paused, taking a moment to stare down at them before going inside. He smiled as he turned back to Jos. "If your new family were any less devoted, I'd snatch you away in an instant. You can be assured of that, little sparrow." He took her hands and pulled her into a tight embrace. He pressed his nose against her hair. "I shall miss these moments with you… shall miss you all too much in general…" He pressed a finger under her chin to lift her face to meet his. "It is all too easy to fall for you, my sparrow." He whispered sweetly before blowing out a wistful sigh. "Now for your gift."

He took her hand and led her toward a small group of beautiful women, though something about them was still scary. In just the right light it was almost like skin hung from bone or eyes were gone from the sockets… Jos tightened her hold on his hand as they approached. She gave a slight nod. "Hello, a…a pleasure."

"The pleasure is ours, child." The women said as one. Their beautiful hands reached out past the shadowed mist that they stood shrouded in and through the rays of the evening light revealing skeleton bones. Jos stood rigidly, unable to fully hide her shock and terror as they caressed her face.

Hypnos slid a comforting arm around her waist and he leaned in and whispered against her ear. "There is nothing to fear, little sparrow. These are my sisters the Arae, goddesses of curses… here to lift yours." He placed his lips to her temple right beside her ear as he tightened his hold around her waist. "My gift to you, for all that you have done for me."