The Reaping of the Gods

Chapter 14

As I stare up at this castle, fortress, Addams family-esque building, Luke takes a step forward and the gates open automatically. It startles me for a second I question how he did that but then remember that even the human world has automatic doors and these guys are gods with magic and wings.

I follow behind him up the gravel pathway, feeling it crunch under my feet. Except it wasn't gravel, it was like a dark charcoal looking gravel with sharper edges.

"Za-......Zach has arranged a lunch for us on the back patio. Would you like to eat first or would you like a tour?"

"Ummmm tour. Who's Zach?" I ask.

"Oh he's my right hand man. my best friend." Luke explains. For some reason it shocked me that gods have friends but then again why wouldn't they?

"Oh cool."I say as we reach the front steps.

Luke opens the front door which was a set of rounded, double doors. Large and intimidating. They opened with a creak. I took a step into the foyer and at first the room seems dark but as my eyes adjust I notice it's got alot of natural light it just incorporated alot of dark wood and stone. It definitely looks like something that you'd see in a vampire movie or something but I also loved it. It was beautiful. I start walking down the hall towards an open doorway to my left. Glancing inside I see a sitting room. There was a dark leather sectional in the middle of the room with a tv over a large stone fireplace. No, it actually was more like a hearth. Fireplace didn't have the same oomph. Floor to ceiling windows lined the back wall with a set of french doors in the center leading out to a patio and back garden.

"What do you think so far?" Luke walks up behind me placing a hand in the small of my back startling me.

"Oh my god, it's beautiful. This is all yours?" I ask questioning if maybe this was actually his fathers house or something.

"Ours but yes. Should we keep going? There are quite a few rooms to get through and I'm hungry." He says with a chuckle.

I nod making my way down the hall. Luke was letting me lead even though I didn't know where I was going. Just letting me explore. The kitchen was amazing. I was already thinking about all the stuff I could make in the almost industrial sized oven. Luke's office was exactly what you would expect. Large mahogany desk with a leather office chair and wall to wall book shelves filled with alot of books. We passed a few rooms that Luke explained were guest rooms. A large dining room or small ballroom was situated at the back of the property.

"Do you want to see the bedroom or are you hungry?" Luke asked just as my stomach growled from hungry.

A laugh escaped his lips and he grabbed my hand and we started walking back to the front sitting room. We walked through the french doors to outside and found a table for two set up on the brick patio that was surrounded by a rose garden. In the distance in the middle of a large greenspace was a large fruit tree and beyond that were the woods that surround the city.

Luke leads me to the table that is filled with a bunch of different finger sandwiches and snacks. We sat down to eat and for some reason I didn't know what to say so I decided stuffing my face was the best option. I could feel Luke's eyes on me. I look up and meet his eyes. He looked almost amused taking a bite of his sandwich.

"So, I've been wondering, how do you guys pay for all of this? Like how do gods make money?" It was a question I've had for a while but I didn't wanna seem stupid but I needed to know how Luke afforded this amazing castle while I had seen other gods that were in smaller houses. Still beautiful but just smaller.

"Oh, well our 'money' is based off of our influence on earth. The more you are talked about, worshipped, remembered or even feared the more money you have." Luke explains.

"oh kinda like an influencer." I laugh. Luke looks at me with a questioning look. "like the more views or likes you have the more money you make."

"That simplifies it a bit but actually yeah, kinda the same gyst." Luke replied with a small chuckle.

"Okay but influencers get money from ads and brand deals and such. How do you actually get the money?" I ask.

"Magic." he replies and I laugh but then I notice he's not laughing. He is completely serious. He flashes a smile. "Here I'll show you."

Luke stands up and offers me his hand. I take it and follow him into the house. He doesn't drop my hand, he leads me down a hall and then up a staircase towards the second floor which I haven't been to yet. We pass a couple doors and come to a door at the end of the hall. He opens the door and I'm in what looks like a security office. Tv screens lining the wall, all showing something different. Kids dressed up for halloween on one screen, a preacher giving a sermon on another. Alot of just random things. Then there was a computer on the control panel that showed a scrolling list that seemed to be in a different language.

Luke walked up to the computer and typed something on it bringing up a screen that almost looked like a banking website.

"So everytime I am talked or thought about these screens pick it up and it's given a monetary value based on what was said or thought. Then that amount is deposited into my account." I take a step closer and take a quick peek at the list on the screen and the total in his bank account going up. I couldn't tell how much he had but it defintely seemed like a decent number.

"You seem to be talked about alot." I meant to be a statement but came out more of a question.

"Mostly just in old stories and in jokes." He smirks. I nod acting as if I understood but I didn't. I figure I'll understand in time and all of this will make sense. I mean I had been here just over a week. A week and I was ready to jump head first into this life with Luke.

"Let's go see your room."