Wrath of Hades (7 page)

“What does he want?” Diane stood up.

“Three guesses and two don’t count.”

“You’re joking?” asked Diane.

“Sorry, wish I was, but Hades wants Atlantis too, and he is mad about losing my soul and wants it back too, and then there’s the whole revenge thing he’s got going against his brothers. Like I said, Hades is going to be a problem. I didn’t leave out any details that you couldn’t have filled in. Let’s see—me plus anyone who wants Atlantis equals really bad things which are all directed at me.” Raven got up and walked over to the front window. It was dark outside. All she could see was her own reflection in the glass. She closed her eyes and let her forehead rest on the glass. The cold slowly seeped into her skin, but she didn’t notice.

“I won’t let him hurt you.” Ethan slipped his arm over her shoulder. “Don’t worry.”

Raven sighed. “I’m not worried about me. I’m worried about everyone else and what Hades will do to anyone who gets in his way. From what Persephone said, we’re dealing with a really sadistic creep who enjoys hurting and torturing people anyway he can, and he’ll use all of you to get to me.”

“You can’t worry about that. We all know the risks,” said Diane. “If something is worth fighting for, it’s worth dying for.”

“She’s right,” agreed Ethan.

Raven pulled out of Ethan’s embrace and moved away from him before she turned to face both of them. “I hear and understand everything you’re saying,
but it doesn’t change the fact that I don’t want people getting hurt because of me, and Ethan, no more trying to protect me from everything. It’s not possible. I have to fight my battles.”

Ethan growled.

“And don’t growl at me either. I know. I know. It’s part of the alpha male thing.” Raven rolled her eyes at him. “But you’ve got to remember. I’m the supreme alpha!”

Ethan growled again, but a smile covered his whole face.

“I think—” Diane was cut off by her phone. She pulled it out of her pocket and flipped it open. “Hey, Ryan, any change?”

Raven looked at Ethan and nodded her head toward the kitchen.

“He’s awake that’s excellent.”

Ethan nodded.

“He is? Why?” Diane looked at Raven and shook her head. “You’re sure he wants to see her.”

Raven frowned.
When people wanted to see her, it was never for anything good.

“Okay. We’ll see you in a little bit.” Diane closed the phone and turned to Raven. “That was Ryan.”

“Is everything okay?” asked Raven.

“Our friend is finally awake and he’s asking to see you,” said Diane.

“For me? I don’t even know who your friend is. Why would he be asking for me?” The words flowed out of Raven’s mouth in almost one breath of air.

“He knows you.”

“But what does he want?” asked Raven. “Besides, who is he?”

“I don’t know what he wants. All I know is Sam’s asking for you.” Diane put the phone back into her pocket.

“Sam? That wouldn’t be Sam Westing, would it?” asked Ethan.

“Sam Westing?
The scary house, Sam Westing?” Raven’s eyes were as wide as saucers.

“Why do all the kids think his house is so scary? I just don’t understand it.” Diane shook her head.

“I can’t go.” Raven’s voice squeaked.

“You have to. Sam was in a car accident. Now he’s asking for you. You have to go.”
Diane put her hands on her hips.

Raven shook her head. “I don’t have to go anywhere.
Besides, you told me not to go outside. It was way too dangerous for me to do that.”

“Yes, you have to go
. Sam is the son of the Oracle, as in the Oracle of Delphi. He rarely asks for anything, but he’s asking specifically for you. You will show him some respect and go see him.”

Raven sighed
and rolled her eyes. “If I have to go, I’ll go.” For some silly reason, Sam Westing scared her.

“Don’t worry. I’ll go with you.” Ethan hugged Raven.

“You’re in a huggy mood today.” Raven tried pushing out of his arms.

“I almost lost you. It’s not happening again,” said Ethan.

“Isn’t it the other way around?” teased Raven. She hugged him back.

“Does it matter?” he asked.

“You two need to get your jackets and go get in the car. I think we should take someone else with us.” Diane put on her jacket and picked up her purse.

“I’ll grab Billy and Pauline on the way out.” Ethan gave Raven a quick kiss on the cheek before he turned and headed to the kitchen.

“Go get your jacket. I’ll wait for you in the kitchen,” said Diane.

Raven ran upstairs to her room and grabbed her jacket and phone. She stopped in front of the mirror and glanced at her reflection. The very thought of Ethan caring for her, made her feel warm and tingly all over, so that even the thought of seeing Sam Westing didn’t seem so scary. But one thing did bother her. Ethan was kissing her everywhere but on her lips.

She touched the pendant and ran back downstairs.

CHAPTER
5

I’ve never thought of myself as pretty.

For one, my skin is too pale. I can’t tan, but I burn really well even with layers sunscreen covering me, and believe me I layer on a lot of the stuff. My skin is just not a good combination with the Texas sun.

And then there’s my black-blue hair. It’s too—too different. I can’t color it. I’ve tried a lot over the years. It just refuses to take the color. I can’t even cut it short either, because I end up looking like a poodle that stuck its paw in an electrical outlet. And I’m so sick of people, teachers especially, accusing me of purposely putting blue dye in my hair just to cause problems.

The only things I actually like about my features are my eyes. Well, actually the color of my eyes. The blue is so unusual. I’ve never seen anyone with eyes just like mine. Most people think I’m wearing special contacts and I just let them think that. It’s just easier than trying to explain the strange shade of blue is really my natural color. It’s funny how teachers have no problem with colored contacts, but go nuts over hair color. Like I said, I don’t dye my hair, but what’s wrong with having pink, green, or purple hair? I just don’t understand.

Guys never paid much attention to me, unless it was to make fun of me. The first guy who actually paid any attention to me was Ben Stone, but thinking back, it wasn’t a romantic relationship. It was just a friendship forged from our
unique abilities with clay in art class. When I left Crystal City High, he said he would call and send emails, but he never did, which upset me because of my crush on him. I realize now the crush was in my head, that our relationship was nothing more than a friendship. I guess that’s why I’m having reservations about my relationship with Ethan.

He says we’re mates, but I’m not sure. What would a really good looking guy like him see in me? What happens when he realizes he made a mistake and another girl takes my place? What if the whole thing is just in my head, like my crush on Ben?

Something deep inside me tells me I’ll be alone forever. I’m too different from everyone else. I jokingly tell Ethan I’m the supreme alpha, but there’s a lot of truth in that. I know my powers are iffy right now, but once I have full control of them, exactly how powerful will I be? What guy is going to want to have a girlfriend who is stronger than him?

I hope the little voice
that keeps bringing up these thoughts is wrong.

But in the past, the little voice hasn’t been wrong.
That’s the scary part.

             
              --Raven Weir’s journal

The drive to the hospital took thirty minutes, about ten minutes longer than it should have, because for some weird reason, they managed to catch every red light between Raven’s house and the hospital.

“Was that normal?” Pauline asked Diane when they finally got out of the car.

“No, it was very odd, almost like someone was trying to slow us down.” She glanced at Raven. “Are you getting any strange vibes or anything like that?”

Raven shook her head. A northern breeze blew across the parking lot, causing her to shiver. Raven pulled her j
acket tighter around herself as she looked at the shadows. They flowed seamlessly into the inky darkness. She was sure something or someone was staring at her. “Who are you and what are you up to?” She barely whispered the question.

“Are you okay?” Ethan wrapped his arms around her.

“I’m fine. Just caught a bit of a chill from the breeze. No big deal.” She shrugged her shoulders, putting down the feeling of being watched to a combination of being tired and an over-active imagination.

“Let’s go.” Diane led the way through the parking lot.

Ethan let go of Raven. He, Billy, and Pauline took up positions around her, scouting the area as they walked toward the building.

Several of the nightlights were off making the parking lot a little creepier than it wo
uld have been in the daylight, and it made the hair on the back of Raven’s neck stand up. She didn’t see anything in the shadows or darkness, but now she was absolutely sure someone or something was watching them. It wasn’t her imagination. “Something’s not right. Be careful. I think we’re being watched,” she said to the others.

“I don’t hear anything,” said Billy. He turned and sniffed the air trying to catch the scent of anything out of the ordinary.

“Do you see anything, Ethan?” asked Pauline.

Ethan shook his head.

“Just be on alert. Something or someone is out there.” Raven’s eyes narrowed as she tried to look through the darkness. “I’m absolutely positive of it.”

The group kept walking and was almost to the front door when Ethan yelped. He stopped and spun around like he was expecting to
find someone standing behind them.

“What’s wrong?” asked Raven. Concern fi
lled her voice. She moved toward Ethan. “Are you okay?”

“Stay where you’re at.” Ethan scanned the area. “Yeah, I think I’m okay. It just felt like someone stabbed me with a knife.” He rubbed his left side. “Strange,” he muttered. “I expected someone to be standing behind me when I turned around.”

“You sure you’re okay?” Raven asked again. She saw Ethan rubbing his side but she didn’t see any blood or even a hole in his shirt.

“I told you I was fine. Just drop it. We need to get inside.” He walked into the hospital in front of everyone else. Ethan didn’t even both
er to hold the door open for Raven or anyone else.

Raven frowned, but tried blo
wing off the idea something was wrong with Ethan. He said he was okay, but his actions said something totally different. She opened the door for herself and went inside. Raven didn’t see the frowns on Pauline’s and Billy’s faces, or the questioning glance that passed between them.

But Diane did. She didn’t say anything, just followed the others toward the elevators.

Ethan stood off to one side while Billy and Pauline took up guard positions on each side of Raven. As soon as the doors opened, Ethan pushed past Raven in his haste to get on the elevator. Raven could only stare at him.

The ride to the fourth floor was awkwardly silent. Ethan
stood next to Raven but ignored her as if she were a stranger. As soon as the doors opened, he exited. Diane watched him walk off. She turned back to Raven and raised an eyebrow. Raven shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.

Raven hung back, letting the others walk in front of her. Ethan’s sudden change in behavior had her worried. People didn’t change that quick. It was like someone had suddenly flipped a switch. But what was wrong? What had done it? Raven had a strong hunch that whatever it was causing his odd behavior had something to do with his complaint of being stabbed in the side. There wasn’t any other explanation.

“We need to go to room 4305. It’s down the hall, on the left.” Diane’s voice broke into Raven’s thoughts.

She looked around and realized they had actually walked a long way and they were now at a nurse’s station in the center of a hub. Three more hallways, besides the one they had walked down, branched out from the nurse’s station. Men and women, wearing green scrubs, moved in and out of the desk area, while others moved up and down the halls.

Diane waved at one of the nurses sitting behind the desk. The woman, who was talking on the phone, waved back and motioned for them to go on.

Ethan was already standing in front of a door halfway down the hall by the time Raven and the others enter the hall.

“What’s his problem?” asked Pauline in a low voice.

“I don’t know.” Raven shrugged her shoulders. “But it started just after he said if felt like someone had stabbed him with a knife.”

“Did you see anything?”

“No, but it’s a weird coincidence.”

Pauline nodded but didn’t say anything else.

“Billy, Pauline, I want you to wait out here. Ethan, I want—”

“I’m going in,” he interrupted Diane. The wave of energy coming off of him set Billy and Pauline to moaning.

Raven just stared at Ethan.

Diane looked at Ethan for a few seconds. “All right, you can go in, but remember this. Sam requested to see Raven, not you. You’re here to protect her from any harm because she is the Guardian and your mate.”

Ethan frowned. His face turned red and his muscles contracted. It looked like he was fighting something. He sniffed the air and turned toward Raven.
“Mate?” The single word was so soft.

She reached out to touch his face, but he backed away
from her.

He shrugged his shoulders. “Whatever.”
His cold behavior toward her matched the cold hard look that had settled on his face.

Raven’s mouth dropped but quickly she closed it
and frowned. This wasn’t the Ethan she knew. In fact, this Ethan was a complete stranger to her. She glanced at Diane who was frowning too.

Ethan opened the door and went in without a second glance at anyone.

Billy and Pauline looked confused, but didn’t say anything. They took up guard positions on either side of the door.

Raven shook her head and started to go into the room. She stopped when she felt a hand on her arm.

“We’ll figure out what’s wrong with him,” Diane said softly.

Raven felt a lump forming in her throat. She swallowed several times but it wouldn’t go away. She just nodded at Diane and went into the room.
Her worst fears were coming true. Ethan no longer cared about her or thought of her as his mate.

Raven paused just inside to give her eyes a chance to adjust to the darkness. A few seconds later, she realized the room wasn’t as dark as she originally thought. It had just seemed that way because the hallways were so brightly lit.

Though not as bright, the soft glow from the television hanging high up on the wall illuminated the room, but it also created strange shadows. The room, though large enough for two beds, only contained one. Various machines hummed and softly beeped. On the other side of the bed, by the window were a couple of chairs.

Diane walked over to Professor Snyder, who was sitting in one of the chairs. She leaned over and whispered something to him. Raven saw the professor slowly shake his head, and she knew immediately what had been said.

“Raven Weir.”

She turned toward the man lying on the bed under several blankets. Wires snaked their way out from under the blankets and coiled up to various machines. Raven forced herself to ignore the colorfully lit machines and focus on the man in the bed.

“I hadn’t planned on us meeting this way.”

“But you knew this would happen,” said Raven.

The man nodded. “But even my mother couldn’t foresee everything.” He fumbled with a remote. The top half of the bed slowly moved, putting the man into a sitting position. “More often than not, we’re only given the bigger picture. The details are left out and that can be very frustrating.”

“Not very helpful when you don’t have the details, a
t least that’s what I’ve been told.” Raven could see the shocked look on Diane’s face. “It seems that it’s the details everyone wants, not the bigger picture.”

“No, som
etimes not having the details is a problem, but sometimes it’s good not knowing everything because a single choice or action alters everything for the better in ways that may not have happened if the choice was completely known and directed or forced.”

Raven nodded, not knowing how to respond.

“Very much like how the choice Suzanne Weir made took you away from your destiny for many years, but in doing so, it has made you tougher and a little streetwise which will serve you well with the challenges that are ahead of you.”

“Is this what was so urgent? Really, if you just wanted to chat, we could have waited until morning.”

“Raven, show some respect.” Diane shook her head. Her shock at Raven’s behavior was evident in the look of horror on her face.

“I don’t know this guy. Besides respect has to be earned, otherwise we’re giving people power they don’t deserve.” Raven crossed her arms.
“From what you’re hinting at, we should be giving Zeus respect, but does he really deserve it? I don’t think so.” She looked from Diane to the man on the bed, then at Ethan, who was leaning against the wall, wearing a bored look on his face. She bit her bottom lip, hoping it would somehow keep her from crying or doing something really stupid.

“Sounds like a typical teen, but there is a little wisdom there. Respect has to be earned, but remember that path has two lanes. Are you prepared to go both ways?” asked Sam.

“As ready as anyone else, I guess,” said Raven. “But this isn’t the reason you wanted to see me, is it?”

“No, it’s not.” Sam leaned back, his head sinking into the flat hospital pillow.

The room suddenly went so quiet, the beeps of the medical equipment echoed loudly. Raven shuffled from one foot to the other. She wished Ethan would put his arms around her, or at least smile at her, but he didn’t move. She stared at him, willing him to at least look at her, but her energy was wasted. It was like she didn’t exist. The lump in her throat grew. She felt fine little crack ripple across her heart.