Page 66 of Chaos Demons

“And given how much trouble you’ve caused me and this city,” I quickly added, “if you want to stay alive, you’d better make a really good show of submitting.”

Melinoe glared at me, hatred clear in her eyes. “You’ll never take my brother from me!”

A wall of madness slammed into me. Nightmare images flickered through my mind. Yet it lasted only an instant before being swept away by my resolve.

“Enough!” I leaped forward and hacked off her arm with a flick of my sword.

She screamed and her eyes flashed wide with surprise.

I was kind of surprised too. I couldn’t believe I’d cut off her arm. But she’d really pissed me off. I’d given her a chance to surrender and she’d chosen to keep fighting. I could only assume she’d thrown everything she had at me… but I’d somehow shrugged off her attack.

“Last chance,” I growled, bringing my sword to her neck.

Melinoe seethed, her breathing short and ragged as she clutched at her wound with her good hand.

“You’re not like you were before,” she hissed. Her gaze darted over me, searching for a weakness.

I barked a harsh laugh, filled with determination and vicious intent. “No. I’m not.”

She gritted her teeth, and I could see in her eyes that our fight had ended before it had even begun. She’d been overpowered and her only options were surrender or death. Hell, the whole fight had been one-sided. My guys might not have been able to take Nari and Melinoe down by themselves, but with me, Eva, and Harmonia in the mix, the two villains hadn’t stood a chance.

“I surrender,” she spat out.

Yeah, that wasn’t good enough.

“Apologize too,” I said. “And you’d better mean it.”

Somehow, she managed to sneer less when she hissed, “I’m sorry for the trouble I caused you and your family and this city.”

One of my new aspects, one I hadn’t named yet, surged up. It told me much more would be required from her, and I was about to tell her as much when Grey piped in. He looked ragged from the fight with his half-sister, but still strong.

“I’ll talk to our father about keeping her in Hades for a while. A few decades in Tartarus should be enough punishment.”

“Tartarus? No, please brother,” Melinoe gasped, all hate and smugness vanishing, replaced by fear.

I didn’t know what Tartarus was, but if Melinoe didn’t like it, it was probably where she should be.

“After everything you’ve done, you think you deserve leniency?” I asked, raising my sword, making it clear death was still on the table.

Melinoe’s eyes widened. “Stop. No. I’ll go to Tartarus!” She shied away from me.

“Good,” I said with a nasty grin.

“I see I’ve come too late,” a new voice said as a woman magically appeared a step behind Melinoe.

The woman had long, lustrous dark hair and eyes like Grey’s, although hers were filled with peace, not a void, and her skin was fair, if perhaps a bit too pale.

“Macaria, finally,” Grey said with a heavy sigh. Then he turned to me. “Ana, this is one of my other half-sisters, Macaria, daemon of blessed death and repose.”

Yeah… that would have been useful earlier.

“Where wereyou, when all this was happening?” I demanded, unable to stop myself.

There was probably a bit too much accusation in my voice, but a lot of people had died or been hurt in this disaster, and both Fen and Ramsey were filled with guilt about their part in it.

“Apologies, goddess,” Macaria said, her voice soft and melodic. “I was in Hades. I got here as fast as I could. I’m sorry for my tardiness, Your Reverence.” She bowed to me.

Your Reverence? That was… new.

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