The Call of Monsters (My Beautiful Monsters #3) - J.B. Trepagnier Page 0,5
on my face and guess my entire train of thought because he started laughing.
“Don’t worry, dear. I’m not going to do that to you.”
Charley just yawned.
“What do you think Amduscias and Serafina’s baby is going to end up?”
“Powerful,” Barbatos said. He turned my way to explain. “Amduscias is another duke. He met his wife in prison. He should have been turned over to Hell for justice, and they framed her. He could have walked out of there at any time, but he fell in love with a Vampire sentenced to life for theft. They have an arrangement similar to yours. Serafina is a fire elemental, and her father is the heir to the Fae throne. We wouldn’t have been able to stop the takeover if it weren’t for her.”
“You’d probably get along,” Charley said. “She wanted to come to help the Underworld, but she pretty pregnant right now. She helped save Hell and the Fae. She used to burn bad guys alive before Bael told her that wouldn’t fly in Hell. She’d like it you got that bitch right in the heart and turned her to stone.”
I’d been pretty anti-death penalty and for-profit prison systems before I got kidnapped, but I would have taken either if it got rid of Demeter. Now, I was sitting here, nodding and thinking I’d like to meet a woman Charley just straight up told me set bad people on fire. Killing a goddess had undoubtedly changed me because I thought this woman sure could come in handy lighting Olympian ass on fire so I could get Hephaestus back.
“Serafina will kill me if I don’t bring you for an introduction,” Barbatos said. “I think you two would get along.”
It was strange. It didn’t sound like we had a single thing in common, and we certainly didn’t share the same hobbies, but I just got the feeling I’d click with this strange woman.
“I’d like that. As much as it seems like a strange place, I’d like to visit Hell.”
Demos finally spoke.
“I thought I wanted to go, but if demons are going to be throwing themselves at River because of the whole cat thing, I may get us banned.”
My father gave Demos his haughty look.
“You don’t get banned from Hell. If you fuck up while you’re there, you’ll get tortured until you’re begging for death, and then when someone gets bored with you, they’ll finally kill you. Demons all have high honor codes. People will compliment her, but no one will hit on her when they see she’s with all of you. Please. Show some respect. Demons don’t steal spouses.”
Tryphon just casually leaned back in his chair.
“We don’t know the first thing about demons, but cheating has been going on way before Zeus stepped out on Hera. It goes on in the Underworld too.”
Barbatos just sniffed.
“That’s because none of you torture cheaters properly. People learn.”
Kimon just held up his hands.
“I, for one, would love to see where River comes from. I don’t care if anyone hits on her in front of me because I know I’ll be the one in her bed that night.”
“Hogging big spoon,” Pavlina said.
“As sexy as that display was, I know how much River misses Hephaestus,” Kimon said. “Hades is gone all the time, and we aren’t in the loop. Is there any news on getting Hephaestus back?”
“Hades has been trying to negotiate with Zeus to get Hephaestus back with no one else dying. He has to phrase things in a way that there’s not an entire forge of those weapons because if Zeus knows, he’ll try to get them so he can kill Hephaestus for good. Once that’s done, he’ll come for the Underworld. The only reason he didn’t take Hades with him is because of the Titans. If they got out and Hades wasn’t here, there would be nothing stopping them from coming for Olympus.”
“If Zeus is truly scared of the Titans, is Hades playing that card?” I asked.
Barbatos shook his head.
“Not yet. It’s not time. He’s trying to reason with Zeus first and is telling him everything Demeter did while she was here. Persephone is in on the talks too and letting him know what Demeter did to her as well. Hades is trying to play the card he contacted Zeus several times to come to get her, and Zeus refused.”
I sipped my wine.
“I realize I’ve only met the guy once, and all I know about him is what I learned in class, but he doesn’t really seem like the