The Voice of the Dead

Preparations

*Lea POV*

We all stood near the Panselinos Lake, where Uncle H and Grandma Selene were preparing for our departure.

I was kind of shaking in a mixture of fear and excitement when thinking about going to hell.

I barely wrapped my head around living with a Goddess, Asteria and her parents nearby and now I'm about to meet Hades and Persephone.

To top it all up, Asteria's mother was The Moon Goddess, Selene, herself!

So one would think I would be prepared to meet more Gods, like it's not a big deal but, let me tell you. It won't get easier.

When we all arrived we were joined by Granny Sally, everyone's unofficial grandmother who runs the hotel and dine near the pack, Alex's parents, his sister Oriana and her mate Robert, Beta and Alex's best friend Eli and his mate, Kira, and of course, the forever loud and the most fun uncle I've ever I've ever had, Jonathan. His mate, Dora, was home with their newborn baby boy, Wilhelm, called by everyone Will, named after Dora and Robert's late father.

From what Jonathan told me, she wanted to be here as well, but she finally agreed to stay home with a promise that I'll visit them as soon as I come back.

As they were preparing, I looked at everyone that gathered. They all were worried about me and wanted to be here for me when I go and return to support me.

Honestly, just thinking about it made me teary.

I've been here for a month and I've been able to find a family that accepted me, without questions, just the way I am.

Both Asteria's and Alex's parents were really happy to hear that I want to be adopted by them, and asked to be called grandparents immediately and when I did, they were so happy.

"Are you scared?" Grandma Kitty, Alex's mom, asked.

"A little." I trailed off, not looking her in the eye. She just raised an eyebrow. "Okay, a lot. I live around Gods, but meeting new ones is still a huge pressure."

"When we found out that Asteria is a Goddess and then when her parents arrived, we were overwhelmed as well. It's not easy for us mortals to wrap our heads around immortality and the amount of power they have." Grandpa Adam said with a smile. "But if I learned one thing from Selene and Endymion living near us, it's that they are just like us, they have the same feelings, hopes and dreams as us. Heck, me and Endymion go fishing together every Sunday! I mean, you can't get more human than that."

Adam ended with a chuckle and I giggled as well, feeling a little more confident.

"Are you going to wait here for us? It's probably going to take a few hours." I asked Ori and Robert, who walked up to us.

They chuckled.

"For you, maybe. For us it's going to be minutes." Robert winked, rocking his slightly fussy baby girl.

"Huh?" I half asked, dumbfounded.

"It's not exact, but an hour in the underworld is a minute on Earth." Uncle H came to me, out of nowhere, making me jump in place.

The vampyres are terrifyingly quiet in their movements.

"Really? Why?" I asked and he smiled.

"So the mortals that go down the Tartarus, feel the time go painful slow as they receive their punishment." He explained nonchalantly.

"Auch, harsh." I muttered, causing Horatio to laugh.

"On the other hand, the ones in Elysium or Asphodel Meadows, don't mind. They have even more time for pleasure and calm relaxation."

"Oh well, seems fair." I shrugged and looked up to Asteria.

She was talking with her mother and father, smiling. When she noticed me looking, she waved her hand at me, calling me closer.

I walked up to them with a smile.

"Hey, sweetheart, we have to put a spell on you. Entering the underworld is draining, even for Gods, let alone mortals. And Hades is physically unable to mask his own aura. He never mingled with mortal creatures so he never learned. And God's aura is a potent one, only few are able to be in a near proximity and not faint or melt." Grandpa Endymion explained cheerfully, making my eyes go huge again.

"M...melt?" I stuttered.

"Nice way to explain." Asteria scoffed with a small smile and explained.

"We, meaning Gods, and humans share anatomy and appearance to the most part. One difference is that our powers create a very strong aura that sips from our bodies, you will see in a minute what I mean. And that aura is very powerful and suffocating, only the strongest creatures can stand close to us and not be affected."

"Oh… wow." I exhaled.

"The three of us will slip a little of our own auta into yours, making you immune to it. Are you ready?" Grandma asked.

I took a deep breath and nodded.

Grandpa squatted to my eye level and grabbed my hands, looking me into eyes. I felt a warming sensation in my body, lasting only about a second. He then smiled, winked and got up. Next one was Grandma, and she did exactly the same thing and Asteria also, right after her.

"That's it?" I asked, dumbfounded again.

They chuckled.

"Yeah. It took only a tiny bit of our aura that we shared. It will also work as a type of a shield, protecting you." Asteria smiled. "Let's try, step back a few steps, we will check it slowly."

I nodded and listened to her, taking a few steps back and Alex standing next to me.

"Ready?" He asked and I nodded.

Asteria stripped her human form, her body then was covered in long, flowy, black robes and her entire body started to emit an intense purple shine, her eyes started to shine as well.

She looked so beautiful I was speechless.

"Wow." I only was able to say.

"I know, right?" Alex chuckled.

Asteria started to come closer and I could feel her powers way better than I could when she was in her human form, but it wasn't overwhelming.

"How do you feel?" Alex asked as his mate was slowly approaching.

"Normally, I can feel her powers but it's not painful to me." I shrugged.

Soon she was standing right next to me, smiling.

"See, it worked." She winked.

"What about you? Why are you immune?" I asked Alex.

They both chuckled.

"Remember how I told you I don't shift in a regular wolf since Asteria marked me?" Alex asked.

"Yeah?" I unsurely nodded.

"I became a very powerful creature after that. I have to shift to be able to go down the Underworld. I just want you to know that there is nothing you should be afraid of. I look… intimidating but it's still me, okay?" Alex looked at me, a little worried.

I smiled and grabbed his hand.

"I could never fear you, dad." I said quietly.

His face lit up like a whole Christmas tree and he nodded fiercely and grinned.

He took a step back and shifted, without taking off his clothes.

My eyes were getting bigger by the second, seeing his transformation.

Alex is a big guy normally, very tall and muscular, but the thing he shifted into?

Oh my gods. He is huge!

He grew to be an 8ft tall wolf that was walking on two legs. His maw was ginormous with fangs longer than the ones dinosaurs had, probably! At least, 6inch long, sticking out of his jaws and his eyes were glowing bright gold!

"Wow, that was… unexpected." I muttered thinking inside that, there go away all the dates till I'm probably old and wrinkly.

Alex would simply shift and my potential suitors will most surely, s**t their pants.

I almost laughed but was able to stifle it.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked through the beast's mouth, his voice guttural and rough.

"You can talk?" I asked. "I'm okay, just surprised. What are you?"

"A Lycan." Horatio answered for Alex, startling me yet again with his silent walk. "An immortal beast capable of taking down Gods themselves."

Alex reached out one of his huge paws and I grabbed it with my own, small hand.

If I needed the reassurance that I was safe before, I don't need it anymore. With Alex and Asteria as my parents, I can finally be safe.

I smiled at them.

"I'm ready. We can go down to the Underworld."