Vampire Affliction: The Vampires of Athens, Book Two by Eva Pohler

Author:Eva Pohler [Pohler, Eva]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Green Press/EvaPohler
Published: 2015-05-10T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen: Hades

Gertie looked again at Jeno. What do we do?

I don’t know. I guess we tell the truth. Jeno turned to Hades. Here goes nothing. “Yes. We came to take your helm.”

Hecate moved beside Persephone. “So it’s true?”

“Smart.” Persephone lifted her chin. “It’s best not to contradict my husband.”

“We also came to give you this gift.” Gertie took the platter from Jeno and handed it to Persephone. “From Dionysus.”

Bunches of grapes appeared on the platter, which brought a smile to the queen’s face.

“Tell me why you want it.” Hades narrowed his eyes.

Jeno opened his mouth to speak again but shut it.

Say something, Gertie pleaded.

“Take your time,” Hades said. “Think carefully.”

I can’t rat out my own father, Jeno said telepathically.

“But not too much time,” Hades warned. “I don’t have all day.”

Nothing good can come from anything I say, Jeno said in Gertie’s mind.

Hades sighed impatiently.

“Here’s the problem,” Gertie blurted out. “The vampires can’t get humans and gods to respect them. It’s not fair, the way they’re forced to live, mostly in poverty, looked down on by the rest of society. It’s just not fair.”

Hades picked at his beard again. “No one has ever said that life is fair.”

“But it’s the responsibility of humans and gods to try to make it as fair as possible,” Gertie said.

Hades bent over and glared at Gertie, his nose inches from hers. “It’s not the responsibility of humans to tell gods what to do.”

“I’m not a human,” she said quickly as the little bit of blood pumping through her veins rushed to her face. “I’m a vampire.”

“So you are,” Hades observed.

Jeno gave her a faint smile.

“A wise person once said that injustice never fixes itself,” Gertie argued. “People have to act.”

“Good point, little vampire,” Hades said. “Good point, indeed.”

Gertie and Jeno exchanged looks of surprise.

“You’ve shocked them, dear,” Persephone said to her husband with a smile.

Gertie smiled, too. “I knew it.”

“Knew what?” Hades arched a brow.

“I knew you were a just god,” she said. “Different stories depict you differently. Some make you seem evil, like a demon; and others show you as just and fair. I had a feeling, and I was right.”

“Don’t draw conclusions too hastily,” he said. “I’ve decided to help you, but I have some conditions.”

“There’s always a price,” Gertie said. “I’ve read that, too.”

Hades frowned, and Gertie could tell she was annoying him. She clamped her mouth closed and tried to hold back from saying anything else.

“First things first,” he said. “Are you willing to turn over your little demigod friend, who’s currently sneaking around my bed chamber?”

Gertie felt the blood leave her face. “What? Why? What would you do?” Her throat tightened.

“Execute him. Send him to Tartarus until his penalty was paid, especially after what he did to Hydra.”

Gertie swallowed hard. “No. No we aren’t willing to turn him over.”

“And do you agree, Jeno?” Hades asked.

Jeno glanced at Gertie and then nodded. “I agree. He’s our friend. We can’t sacrifice him.”

“Even for my help?” Hades asked.

Jeno nodded.

“You would give up

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