The rain swept across his cheeks, leaving vicious welts in its wake. And as Nicon screamed, the lycanthrope lifted his claw and brought it down on his face. Blood sprayed everywhere.
I ground my teeth, refusing to look away. The beast didn’t stop there. He ripped into the rest of the armor. Chunks of steel flew through the air. The crunching and spurting that followed was loud, despite the heavy rainfall.
When the lycanthrope was done, a gruesome display of broken bones and torn flesh lay at his feet. None of us dared to move. And when the beast lifted his head, he looked right into the entrance of the palace, and he roared.
His blood-soaked fangs glinted in the dull light.
I pushed past Athena and Hermes to stand at the front, as close as I could get to the steps without getting hit by rain. Zeus made no move to stop me. Eyes locked on the creature, I lifted my skirt and pulled out my weapon.
The silver gleamed.
“Come on, then.” I motioned the beast forward with my free hand. “Try and get me.”
I held my breath and waited, my gaze locked on the lycanthrope’s glowing orange eyes. He took a slow sniff, snarling. His fangs were long and impossibly sharp, and a tremor of fear went through me. At my back, I felt the heat of Ares press into me. He was there, ready to fight by my side. And something about that small touch made me lift my chin, feeling far more daring than should be possible.
The lycanthrope inched closer, his claws tapping the marble. When he was only a few steps away, he sniffed the air once more. A low growl emerged from his throat. All the fur on his back stood on end, his eyes locked on my weapon.
Just as I was readying myself to fight, he suddenly swung around and bounded away into the darkness. In seconds, he was gone, leaving behind nothing but Nicon’s mangled body. The rain had already washed the blood away, but the stench of it had lingered.
My hand dropped to my side. The lycanthrope was frightened of my weapon, just like I’d suspected. And he was intelligent enough to fight us one by one, rather than as a group. Did that mean he could tell us apart? If so, would he listen to reason?
I looked at up at the sky. Once dawn came, I needed to find him.
40
SELENE
The rain didn’t stop all night, and the arrival of a pale gray sky was the only indication morning had arrived. I stood in the archway, skirt whipping around my legs. The lycanthrope was somewhere out there in his human form now. He’d have to take shelter from the rain while he slept, and I wondered if he’d return to the building where he’d kept Hestia. If only the rain would stop for a time, I could go in search of him.
Ares came up beside me. He tucked his hands into his trouser pockets, a contemplative expression softening his features. “Someone has been very clever.”
I looked up at him. “What do you mean?”
“Did you get a good sniff of him?”
“Who, the wolf?” I feigned curiosity, but I already knew where he was going with this. With the rain and the blood, I’d hoped no one would notice. But we were vampires. The scent of smell was one of our strengths.
“He smelled distinctly human. Nothing like an animal at all. My guess is this is part of some larger plot against us. The mortals found a way to rebel against their vampire kings and queens, and they sent that creature to the island knowing we’d all be here at the same time. Easiest way to take out your enemies? Wait until they’re all in the same spot.”
“That is definitely an interesting theory,” was all I could manage.
“You don’t seem surprised by it.”
“I already had a similar thought. And I even asked Orpheus about it. He swore on my mother’s grave he knew nothing about it.”
I had to tread carefully here, to keep the focus off Troy while not being dismissive enough to raise suspicions. Ares surprised me by steering the conversation in an entirely different direction.
“I want to tell you something, but it can’t be here. Come to my rooms with me?”
My heart pounded. The idea of being alone with him again made me feel unsteady, but not because I didn’t want to be there. It was because I very muchdid. And that scared me.
But the curiosity to know what he had to say drove me onward. “All right, I’ll come to hear whatever is on your mind. But I’m not staying.”
With a sad smile, he brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear. His hand brushed against my cheek, and I found myself leaning into it. “I don’t expect you to stay. Not after you hear my truth.”
Back in Ares’s rooms, he motioned me to take one of the settees while he took the one directly opposite it, then he poured us both chalices of wine. He seemed far more on edge than usual, and for once, I could see clear signs that his nerves were getting the better of him. There was a slight shake in his hand as he leaned forward and passed me the chalice.
I put it down on the table in front of me before taking a sip. “You’re starting to worry me. What’s going on, Ares?”
