Chapter 26

"So am I off the hook or..?" Percy asked.

"Tell me who told you and you are off the hook. If you feel you're in danger you're welcome to come to Empurity. Zeus already asked me to create a camp for the demi-gods that are in my world. You'll be the only half human there but you'll be protected with my own spell."

"It.. It was-"

"Percy!" I looked up and saw Hermes walking towards us.

"Hermes?" Zeus asked.

"I have a delivery for Percy, this will only take a minute." He searched in his bag before he pulled a bag filled with gold coins. "Don't spend it all in one place. I'll see you guys later. It's nice to see you again Elea!" He said before he took off.

"Bye Hermes!" I shouted.

"That's mine now." Zeus grabbed the bag from Percy.

"Excuse me? If it should go to anyone it should go to me! I was the one who was poisoned for half a day. Do you understand how much blood I lost?"

"Just drink more. It's not like it'll matter anyway." He laughed at me.

"I needed that!" Percy yelled getting more frustrated.

"Percy, you were just about to tell me who paid you." I rolled my eyes.

"Not if I'm not getting the money I earned." He crossed his arms.

"Zeus. Give him the money." I scooted back feeling the anger build in my chest.

"No, this is going to Empurity. Those creatures deserve it more then you do."

"Then I'm not saying anyth-" Before Percy could finish his sentence I punched the ground next to me leaving the ground completely shattered.

"That's not even full anger. I'm annoyed. Tell me."

"It was Ate!" Percy backed up in a panic.

"Ate? My daughter Ate?" Zeus became outraged.

"Y-yes. She knew she wouldn't be able to get to the world since you kicked her out of Olympus. She was angry that you preferred to have Elea by your side instead of her." Percy's fear could only grew as Zeus' anger heightened.

"Percy. You're free to go. Zeus, let's go talk for a minute." I stood up and grabbed Zeus' hand helping him to his feet.

"I threw her off of Olympus so she wouldn't be capable of meddling in anyone's affairs anymore! What more do I have to do to her?!" He screamed shaking the ground beneath our feet and the skies fill with thunder.

"ZEUS!" I yelled. Finally his eyes met mine.

"What?"

"Calm down. Take a breath and just think with me for a minute okay? Let's go for a walk. Before Kronos realizes we're here and won't let us leave for the next few days."

"You're right.. I'm calm.. but I didn't think I'd have to deal with her again. I rid her of Olympus for a reason. She's the goddess of mischief and misfortune. She has caused enough problems for everyone." He sighed as we walked.

"I'm aware. If you feel that strongly, I'll deal with her myself. I don't want to cause you any stress."

"It's not you who has caused me stress. Gods don't have stress anyways. Not when we choose not to have any emotions."

"Yes but you always choose to have emotions.. when it comes to mortals and the actions of gods at least. So you are in fact stressed about Ate."

"I'm only partially stressed. Hera has not helped with that situation."

"Do you really want me to dig into that hole with you? Because I think you've already dug it deep enough yourself." I laughed as we reached the entrance.

"What do you mean? I've done nothing wrong." He was being serious. He had no idea of what he was doing as a husband to his wife.

"Imagine Hera sleeping with every other man she can see. Whether it be human, god, or whatever creature she finds attractive. How would you feel?"

"She would never do that. Why would you say that?" He stopped in his tracks and looked at me hurt.

"Zeus, look in the mirror. That's what you've been doing to her since you two got together. I mean yeah what she does to get revenge on you isn't the best coping mechanism but she's only making it hard for you because you have been making it incredibly hard for her." His gaze dropped from me and to the ground. For once the almighty Zeus actually felt shame.

"I-I didn't realize.."

"Honestly, do you blame her? For trying to kill Hercules? For persecuting some of your consorts. You demand so much from her and have even beat her-"

"She threatened me first. I have only beat her once and chained her so she would not defy me." He was slowly becoming angry and defensive again.

"I'm aware. Have you thought of the reason why she threatened you? She has no choice but to listen and bow down to you. We all know you confide in her and tell her the truth always but what good is the truth if it only hurts her more?"

"So I should not tell her the truth?"

"You should always tell her the truth, but that truth needs to be something that will spike her love for you. Not diminish it. Instead of sleeping with another goddess, tell her how you're happy to be with her. Bring her flowers and throw her a party celebrating her. Not your normal parties celebrating practically nothing, but celebrate the fact that you two have done so much together. Just do stuff for her, not to her."

"I think I could do that.. but first, we have someone to deal with. Are you ready to return to the mortal world?" He looked past me and exhaled opening the entrance to the human world.

"Let's do this." I sighed as I stepped through.

--Eros POV--

I stood outside watching the twins play in the grass with Adam. As time passed I couldn't tell if I was feeling happy, sad or just completely numb. I was happy to be here but I was becoming more hurt whenever I saw Adam in the position I wanted to be in. I didn't want to admit it but I was jealous. I've been pushing all my emotions whenever Renae is around so she won't know how I feel but it's getting increasingly harder. No matter the circumstances I'll always love her. For her, I'm willing to lose.

That's the reason my wife and I got divorced anyways, because I couldn't love her as much as I could. I've been feeling like I'm drifting ever since Renae got back and it's unfair to every one. I have to decide if I need to stay here or not. My heart tells me to stay with them, not because I'm in love with Renae, but because I want to be here for my best friend and his children. I haven't seen him in a thousand years before I met Renae the way she is now. He wanted nothing to do with the council while I wanted to turn the council into something better, it was all I had at the time.

"Eros!" Adam yelled snapping me from my deep thinking.

"You're phone won't stop ringing, answer it." He laughed at me.

"Oh.." I pulled it out and saw it was a council member. "Hello Ian. How can I help you?" I sighed as I answered.

"Sorry to disturb you but we have a meeting today. We're all coming to the school for the meeting. It's in three hours so please don't miss it."

"Why am I just being informed now?" I stood up straight and looked at the twins with worry.

"It's an emergency meeting. Can you make sure Adam and Renae are there as well? I have to go we're getting ready to land." Before I could protest or tell them Renae isn't here he hung up.

"Dammit!" I yelled trying not to crush my phone in my hand.

"What's the matter?" Adam picked up the children and walked over.

"Someone scheduled an emergency meeting. You and Renae need to be there and they're coming to the school in three hours." I tried not to let my anger rise.

"Excuse me? Three hours? That's not enough time! We have to get the twins out of here!" He was becoming frantic.

"Do you two need a babysitter?" I turned around and saw Helios with a smirk on his face.

"You can protect them right? The council will not shy away from an opportunity to take Renaes children and use them against her. They may not be able to hurt them but they will kidnap them for leverage." I pleaded as he stepped forward.

"I can protect them. However I will be at the meeting as well, which is why I have asked a very special friend of mine to help with the kids. She is the goddess of child bearing and has taken care of plenty of children after all." He smiled and moved to the side showing us a beautiful woman. She was a bit older but that made no difference. Her eyes were wide and bright.

"Hello, my name is Hera, we haven't met before but I owe Elea a lot. I'll gladly help you." She smiled and sat on the chair on the patio.

"I-It's a pleasure to meet you Hera." I bowed over not knowing how else to greet a goddess.

"Rise, bowing is not necessary." She chuckled. "Let me see the two little angels born from my niece." She stood up and walked over taking Eve from Adam.

"Thank you so much. I'm sure you know the fear of protecting your children." Adam sighed in relief.

"Trust me, I do." She smirked to Eve as she extended her other arm and took Owen out of his other arm. "I won't be staying in this world however. When you wish to fetch these two just let Elea or Helios know and I'll be back in a flash. You best say your farewells for now."

"You two be good okay? Don't let her teach you how to smite people." Helios laughed.

"I'll smite you if you keep at it." She glared at Helios.

"You know I'm only playing." He laughed as he sat in the chair.

"I'll see you soon lovelys. Be good and bring smiles." Adam kissed both their foreheads before Hera turned to me.

"Bye guys. We'll see you soon." I grabbed their hands and kissed the backs of their hands and watched them giggle as my beard tickled their skin. They might not be my children but I loved them as if they were my own.

"Fare thee well. We shall see you after the vampire meeting." She laughed as she began walking away.

"Uhm.. Helios?" Adam began saying.

"Not yet. Come with me." He grabbed Adams and my hand dragging us inside the house.

"In here, quickly." He shoved us into Adams and Raes room closing the door behind him and placing a spell on it.

"What's going on?" I asked as I watched a glimmer of light cover the walls.

"Renae is not here, she's not going to be here for a while. She has asked me to go in her stead when I saw Annette call the emergency meeting. I need you two to help me make sure I have her down right. I'll be speaking with her during the meeting to be saying the correct thing but impersonations are not my strong suit." He pulled out a small bottle from his pocket.

"I'm sorry what?" Adam stepped back.

"I know it will be weird but you need to treat me just as if I were Renae. So if I have to hold your hand Adam, don't get flustered. Renaes in pursuit of the one of the causing problems in Empurity and I'm not going to make her get off that case. It's just easier to do this." He sighed as he drank the contents of the small bottle.

He placed the bottle on the dresser and stood waiting for something, anything to happen. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, a flash just as bright as the sun sparked from him, causing a moment of blindness.