“Are you saying that you have sex with these lions?” I asked in surprise.
“They do whatever she tells them to.” Demeter smirked. “One, in particular, was my favorite, but he's a bit broken now.”
“Broken?”
My heart clenched suddenly, and the image of a pair of deep blue eyes surfaced. This wasn't the vision of the child I'd seen earlier; this was a man, and his eyes were bluer than the most precious sapphires with sooty lashes surrounding them.
I blinked away my tears as I asked, “Why is he broken?”
“Well, she's not exactly nice to them.” Demeter shrugged. “Regardless, they're fierce warriors, and that's just what we need. Niyarvirezi has agreed to add the Pride to our numbers in exchange for my help on another matter.”
“What matter?”
“Never mind that.” Demeter frowned and took my hand.
Demeter spoke some strange words, and the Aether pulled us in. Our bodies became pure thought as we zipped through that magical place, and then we reformed in a shower of blue sparks. We stood at the end of a hallway; in front of a wall. I looked behind us dubiously.
“She has a tracing wall?” I asked.
“It works.” Demeter shrugged and started walking again.
“And I'm the odd one,” I muttered. “Who the hell has a tracing wall?”
“Demeter.” A blond man bowed to Demeter. He was very handsome, with a pair of stunning, turquoise eyes that gave Teharon's peepers a run for their money. “My Tima has sent me to fetch you.”
“Hello, Darius,” Demeter purred. “It's good to see you again.”
Darius nodded; looking uncomfortable.
“This is Vervain.” Demeter waved a hand back at me. “The Godhunter.”
“The Godhunter?” Darius' voice went up a notch and his eyes shot to me eagerly.
“Yes.” Demeter narrowed her gaze at Darius. “Is that significant?”
“No,” he said hurriedly. “Not at all; I've just heard stories about her.”
“Don't believe them all,” I said with a little smile. “I swear; I'm not Satan.”
“Of course, you're not,” Demeter huffed. “Lucifer is far more civilized than you. No offense, Vervain.”
“It was a joke.” I rolled my eyes and then said to Darius, “Gods; they never get my jokes.”
Darius chuckled but turned away quickly when Demeter glared at him. “This way, ladies.”
He led us through winding hallways made of wood and reeds. There was a safari feel to the place; not so original for an African lion goddess. I was kind of disappointed in both Demeter and this lion goddess. But I suppose gods like to honor their cultures. It really was the least they could do after sucking up all that energy from humans.
“Here we are,” Darius said as he opened a door to an airy sitting room.
A statuesque woman sat in the center of the room. She was dark-skinned, full-figured, and drop-dead beautiful. Behind her, gauzy curtains floated on a gentle breeze; the scent of cinnamon riding in with it. She sat on a divan, but there was a pair of chairs across a short coffee table from her; both done in rattan and linen. A woven carpet covered the ground and the wallpaper was made of woven reeds. Two large windows framed a dramatic African landscape; giving her the perfect backdrop of flat-topped trees, golden grass, and roaming wildlife.
“Hello, Niyarvirezi,” Demeter greeted her friend as she wandered in.
I followed Demeter, but as I passed Darius, he whispered to me.
“Help us.”
I glanced at Darius in shock, and he widened his eyes at me before he ran away. A shiver of pain and fury ran through my body as horrible images bombarded me. Not all of them were memories exactly, some were memories of stories that had been told to me. I suddenly knew what kind of a woman Niyarvirezi was, and I hated her with every cell in my body.
But I smiled as I approached her and held out my hand. “I'm Vervain.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Godhunter,” Niyarvirezi said. “I've heard some good things; at least today I have.” She turned her smile to Demeter. “My friend here says that you wish to help her avenge her daughter's death.”
“Persephone was my best friend,” I said softly. “As much as I'd like to claim Demeter's friendship as well; I'm not doing this for her. I want vengeance for Persephone.”
“See?” Demeter said to Niyarvirezi. “We can trust her.”
“In this, at least.” Niyarvirezi nodded. “All right, Demeter; you have my support. What's the plan?”
“Actually,” I interrupted. “After you left, Demeter, I was able to sway Hades into action. He's currently gathering an army to take into Tartarus.”
“How were you able to do that?” Demeter gaped at me.
“I lied,” I said simply. “I told him that I saw Nyx watching Persephone and me when we were out shopping the day before she was murdered.”
“I like your spirit, Vervain,” Niyarvirezi said. “Perhaps after the battle, you can join Demeter and me for a private celebration.”
“If you mean with your lions; I'm married, but thank you,” I said.
“Your husband doesn't have to know,” Niyarvirezi said with a smirk. “My men are very discreet. They're slaves, really; they won't say a thing. And most of them haven't had a woman in years; they'll be clawing at each other for the chance to have you. It does wonders for the ego.”
“I love my husband.” I shook my head. “And I'm a one-man kind of woman.”
Alaric's laughter filled my head, and I grimaced.
“A shame.” Niyarvirezi sighed. “My lions could have changed your whole world.”
“Sorry to interrupt this awkward conversation, but do you have a restroom I could use?” I asked.
“Of course,” Niyarvirezi said. Then she shouted, “Darius!”
The blond man returned nearly instantly. He must have been
