Fire & Flood (Mythverse #1)

Book 3 Chapter 20

20

Hades’s gaze drops to Val’s and my entwined fingers, and I immediately let go of Val’s hand. “Don’t be shy on account of me,” Hades says, pulling us both forward, out of the elevator car. “Down here, we don’t believe in the interspecies dating ban. In fact, down here…” He nudges Val like they’re best buddies. “Anything goes.” He winks at me.

“Sounds like MOA, circa my mother’s time,” I say under my breath, and Hades shoots me a glance.

“What’s that?”

“I said it sounds like a circus, and a good time,” I say, raising my voice.

“Definitely, definitely,” Hades agrees, rubbing his hands together as he leads us out onto what looks like a subway platform decorated in rotting high-end Victorian style.

“What is this place?” I ask, taking in the length of the vaulted ceiling, where cherubs and satyrs are carved into filth covered marble.

“This is the Vanderbilt station,” Hades says. “At the turn of the century the old money families wanted all the best of the modern amenities…but not if they came with the unpleasantness of rubbing shoulders with anyone who could buy a subway ticket. So, they built their own subway below the public one. Lavishly decorated, of course. Everything down here is the best of the best,” Hades says, slapping a marble pillar. A rat scurries out from under his feet, somewhat detracting from his point.

“This extends how far?” I ask, wowed by what I’m seeing.

“Oh, all the original stops are included,” Hades says. “But the trains don’t run anymore. All the rich folks bought automobiles and left this to rot. Which is where I came in. Underworld Academy is the newest of the supernatural academies, and if I may say so myself, the most legendary. We have quite a reputation.”

“As a party school,” I said.

“What’s that?” Hades asks.

“I said that’s cool,” I repeat.

Val gives me a little nudge with his elbow. I can’t tell if it’s meant as a warning or a secret sorta high-five.

Hades leads us to a shredded velvet curtain that pulls back to reveal yet another door. We walk through in front of him and descend down a last set of stairs. Beneath us, everything glows, and there’s a constant thrumming under our feet.

“It’s Black Light Friday Night,” Hades says, raising his voice to be heard as we get closer to the music.

“But it’s one in the afternoon!” I yell back.

“They don’t know that,” he says. “We don’t have any windows.”

We get to the bottom of the steps and someone hands me a cup full of ambrosia. I can see the room—a mass of young shifters, vampires, and witches—all vibrating along with the music, their bodies outlined in glow paint. Dozens of bats flit above their heads, which seems like a nice atmospheric touch, until I see a few of them dip into the crowd and shift into human form.

Greg once told me he was the first of his family to attend Mount Olympus Academy. He said it like this was a big deal and I assumed it was the first academy anyone in his family had gone to at all. But now I suspect that what he really meant was that the rest of his family chose UWA.

Hades clamps a meaty hand onto my shoulder.

“Bar is over there,” he says, waving toward the corner. “Your pass will get you two free drinks. Don’t get pregnant, and don’t get killed, okay? Those are my only two rules for visitors from the other campuses. I’m sure the pleasures of our school will be more than enough to tempt you to the dark side. Have fun, kids.”

And with that, he’s gone, slipping away to bump and grind along with his students.

Val steers me over to what at first I think is a punch bowl. Upon closer inspection, though, it’s filled with condoms. Reaching in, Val hands me one.

“I’m here on important business,” I tell him with a grin.

“So, no fun?” he asks me.

“Maybe…” I look into his dark eyes and all thoughts of my “important business” are gone. I shake my head. Between the flashing blacklights and the booming music and Val’s closeness I’m finding it hard to focus.

“Can we go somewhere else?” I shout.

“What?” he asks.

“IT’S SO LOUD,” I say.

“What?” he repeats.

I put my hand over my ears and give him a pouty face. I swear he says, “Adorable,” as he takes my hand and leads me out of the rave into a dark, brick hallway.

As we walk and the party sounds lessen behind us, I lean into his shoulder. “Is there any actual learning at this school?”

“Sure, if that’s what you’re here for. My father was not happy about my expulsion from MOA, but when we came here to visit, Hades was all ‘best place for the undead’ and ‘state of the art lecture hall.’ He didn’t tell my dad that attendance was optional. Like I said, Tina is thinking of transferring to a vamp school. Somewhere they don’t know we’re Moggies.”

“And Marguerite?” I ask.

“She’s been really mopey.”

“Fern too! Anyone who would break those two up is a terrible person. They belong together.”

“Yeah, I’m going to let Marguerite use Kevin to send messages.” We take a right, then a left. I’m lost but Val seems to know where we’re going.

“They should both just drop out…I mean, MOA is going to s**t and UWA seems pointless,” I say.

“Well, it’s not that easy. Marguerite has her vampire family obligations and Fern has…” he looks around, “other concerns.”

I nod. Fern is working for the monsters and so is Val. “Speaking of which…did you get the information on the sword?”

“Yes, I’m taking you to—” He stops abruptly and pulls me close, kissing me as a drunk student stumbles behind us.

“Niiiiice,” the student says to Val.

I pull away. “Was that kiss just a cover?” I ask in a teasingly upset voice.

“That one was. This one is for me,” he says as he leans in again. This time the kiss leaves my legs shaky.

I put my head on his chest. I wish we could stay this way forever, but I have to finish what I came here for. Regretfully, I take a full step back.

“Time to get down to business?” he asks.

I nod and sigh. “Unfortunately.”

“Okay,” he continues down the hall while he explains. “In the underworld there are six rivers, each dealing with a different aspect of the afterlife. Hatred, Pain, Forgetfulness, Fire, Wailing.

“That’s…unpleasant,” I say. “And only five.”

“The last one is a river that encircles the world…but that’s not important. The one we need, according to my contacts, is the Phlegothon. The river of fire. The blade is hidden in the middle of the river where it crosses paths with the mortal realm.”

“Well, that’s perfect!” I say. “I’m a dragon and you’re fireproof! So, we’re going there now?”

“No,” he admits. “The problem is, I can’t get us there. Only a few gods know the way.”

“Okay, so…?”

“While here I’ve made friends with the goddess Hecate.”

“You’ve made friends with a goddess?” I ask. All the deities I know are super attractive and extra horny. “Should I be jealous?”

“Always,” he says. “But no, not really. Hecate is different. Misunderstood, really. She’s the goddess of many things, including the moon, witchcraft, dogs and…and crossroads and entrance ways.”

“Hecate can get us to the crossroads where the sword blade is hidden!” I say.

“Exactly, and I’ve been leading us to her office, though it’s more like a cave. I just want to warn you about her appearance.”

“Too hot for words?” I ask.

“Not exactly. Just don’t make a big deal.” He pushes open the door and we enter an office like none at Mount Olympus Academy. The place is covered in books and scrolls and potion bottles and random trinkets. It’s a sharp contrast to Metis’s tidy room.

“Hecate,” Val calls out and an old woman appears, shuffling toward us. I gasp but try to cover it up with a cough. She’s not tall or fit or gorgeous. She looks like a withered old woman. I’m surprised she’s at UWA; it’s not what I would expect from a party school. She also appears as homeless as the lump of rags we gave the password to, but she has a sparkle in her eyes.

“Val, my boy!” she calls.

She looks me up and down with her wizened face. “You’re the one. huh?” There’s a squawk and a Stymphalian bird lands on her shoulder.

“Is that…Bowie?” I ask. He’s looking good. “Did you resurrect him?”

Val shakes his head. “Hecate is adept at necromancy,” he explains. “Bowie isn’t living but neither is he dead.”

“Just like his vampire mistress. She left him here, but comes to visit. That one pretends not to care, but she’s a good girl at heart.”

I nod, missing Tina even more.

“Hecate, we’ve come for the blade. We need to reach the river of fire.”

“Phlegothon. Yes. I will send you there now.” She puts a clawed, bony hand on each of our shoulders. “Children, be careful. You are on a noble quest, but even the most worthy actions can have dire consequences. And remember the living cannot enter any river in the underworld.” She turns to me.

“If you play with fire, you will get burned.”

One moment we are standing in front of her and the next we are standing on the banks of a river of pure fire. The heat blasts my face and I stumble back.

“Holy Hades,” Val says as he stares at the river of molten liquid fire. Flames dance on the surface.

“Do you see the blade?” I ask, my eyes watering.

He walks forward, stripping off his clothes.

“Wait,” I cry out, but he ignores me and puts a foot into the river. I rush toward him, but can’t stand the heat and have to walk away.

“Hecate said the living can’t enter the river,” he calls back to me. “I am neither living nor dead.”

My heart jumps but amazingly, the fire doesn’t burn him. He is completely unfazed as he makes his way to the middle of the river, the lava up to his chest.

“I see it!” he shouts. Trudging back, he carries the blade in his hands, careful not to cut himself. He holds it out to me and when I take it, it is cold to the touch. It weighs next to nothing.

“One step closer,” he tells me.

“I thought it would be bigger,” I admit. It’s more like a long knife. It fits easily in my backpack.

“The words every man fears,” Val observes wryly.

I nudge him. “If you’re fishing for a compliment, Val, then let me say I found you completely satisfactory in size.”

He clutches at his stomach as if I just stabbed him with the blade. Then he straightens and takes a step closer. “There was a lot going on that day, maybe you’re not recalling—”

“Some of the smaller details?” I ask, making my eyes wide and innocent.

“I walked into that one. I’ll admit it.” Laughing, Val playfully nips at my shoulder before adding, “Hecate said that if we leave through the doorway we’ll be back in New York. Do you have to rush off?”.

“Hmm…” I pretend to consider the question as I carefully set the blade down on the ground. When I straighten back up, Val stands before me, n***d, perfect, and definitely more than satisfactory in size.

“I can stay a while longer,” I tell him with a wicked grin.