Monster Whisperer - J.B. Trepagnier Page 0,39

stained glass window depicting Demeter rescuing Persephone from the Underworld. Rescuing my ass. She was kidnapping her and holding her hostage.

I knew Persephone. She was madly in love with Hades and wouldn’t want any of this. That stained-glass window was our way in. But that wasn’t just why I was here. I didn’t just scout to find a safe way in. I cased the place for the few days to get a full picture of what we were dealing with.

There was a tree nearby. I settled and waited. Demeter was bound to slip up sometime.

Chapter 28

Tryphon

T

hree days. That was way too long. Hades would be pissed, and I didn’t like that my River intended to take the brunt of his rage. There was a fight coming up. What if it was Demos’s turn, and he was still gone? What then? I didn’t like this.

I had my tentacle wrapped firmly around her ankle, and she didn’t feel worried at all. She felt totally relaxed. She was a little concerned about Demos, but she wasn’t scared of an angry God at all. She must be a bit crazy, but I could admit, I liked that kind of crazy.

On the second night, there should have been a fight. Hades always came down at breakfast to tell us if we’d been chosen and who. He would notice Demos was gone for sure. He’d been wearing a necklace around his neck I was pretty sure that witch gave him. I was also sure it allowed him to see through her enchantments we were all in our cells.

River was hanging out in the cell next to my pool with Kimon. Pavlina’s cell was right next door. Kimon was still encroaching on my territory and hitting on her. Like he was getting his snuggle time before I got my naked pool swim!

I heard Cerberus barking and making a racket, and that was when I knew Hades was here. River stood and went to the door. As soon as I could see her and Hades, I wrapped a tentacle around her waist and yanked her into my pool. It wasn’t how I wanted to get her in the water with me for the first time, but I could protect her in here.

“What the fuck, Tryphon?” she sputtered.

Hades immediately knew something was up. He cocked an eyebrow and started strolling through the cells. He stopped at Demos’s cell, then turned to look at my wet girlfriend and me. Well, she wasn’t my girlfriend yet.

“Where the fuck is Demos?” he roared.

River went to open her mouth, and I wrapped a tentacle around her mouth. I didn’t want her taking his rage. Hades stormed into her apartment and came back in yelling about Demos. A wet River wrestling with me trying to get my tentacle off her mouth. Oh, I liked it when they fought. Focus, Tryphon.

“Get your fucking tentacle off her mouth and let her speak, Tryphon.”

“Just do it, or it will be worse,” River said.

I let her go and set her on solid ground, dripping wet. Gods, did she look sexy all wet like that.

“He’s scouting. I found the secret passage in my apartment.”

Hades crossed his arms and glared at her.

“And you just so happened to guess the secret code to get him out?”

“No, I had help on that.”

“Traitor,” Hades shot at Cerberus. “Why couldn’t you wait? My scouts would leave in three days.”

River just shrugged.

“Because everyone said Demos was the best, and he had less of a chance of getting caught.”

“He is, but River, Demeter has threatened so many things with those collars, not even I know what they can do. Hephaestus works in a volcano, and the only way in is through a door he made. He never leaves. Demeter warned she has scouts, and if she sees me or anyone else from the Underworld trying to visit him, she will kill Persephone and every single monster in the Underworld. I can’t risk it. You could have just signed the death warrant for every monster in the Underworld and my wife because you just couldn’t wait!”

River just crossed her arms and raised her chin defiantly.

“Or saved them. Who has better odds of not getting caught? Some scouts you chose or a phoenix who has been scouting ahead for you and your wife for centuries?”

“This is my domain! You don’t make decisions here, and you don’t get to overrule me. You aren’t a God, and you aren’t my wife. I brought here you because I thought you might