Chapter 90

90

The first half of the night went well. The dogs paraded next to the models, and everyone was on their best behavior.

“Are they all house-trained?” Persephone looked up at Andrea Doria, who’d joined her backstage.

“The dogs are. Can’t say for sure about the models.” Andrea smiled. Her blonde wig was glorious, teased around her perfectly made up face.

“You look amazing,” Persephone told her honestly.

“Thanks, darling. You’re sweet.”

“I’m serious. And I was serious about getting a makeup lesson, I want to know all your secrets.” Persephone admired the contours of Andrea’s cheekbones, then turned back around to watch the mayor give his speech.

“It’s my honor to dedicate this park to our four-legged friends. My father taught me that you measure a man’s humanity by how he treats his fellow creatures.”

“Talks a good game, doesn’t he?” Andrea muttered.

“Mmhmm,” Persephone agreed.

“And so we are here to honor the most loving and loyal of creatures. My friends, I never thought I’d say this with any pride, but here I am to tell you: this city is going…to the dogs!” Zeus said to the crowd’s happy applause.

“See you after half time,” Andrea said, and when Persephone turned around, she was gone.

Striding carefully in her high heels, Persephone met the mayor backstage.

“That went well,” Zeus said briskly.

“Yes, thank you, Mr. Mayor.” Persephone stepped forward before his aides could intervene. “Could we trouble you for a quick photo op in the back building, where the light is good? The photographer has a setup back there.”

The mayor blinked at her, and Persephone realized he didn’t completely recognize her. “Just back here,” she repeated. “There’s someone I want to introduce you to.”

“Sure, sure,” Zeus said, waving at his aides. “Just a few minutes.”

“Certainly.” Persephone smiled and led the entourage across the park lawn to the old theater. Inside, she led them to the stage. The space was big and open, which was the main point. There were few hidden corners other than backstage—but Poseidon’s men had secured it beforehand, and otherwise, everything was out in the open.

“Interesting spot,” Zeus commented. He and his aides slowed when they saw Andrea Doria’s tall form flanked by two guards. Andrea also held Cerberus’s leash; Persephone hurried to take it and then positioned herself between the two parties.

“Mr. Mayor, meet Andrea Doria.”

Zeus barely hesitated, extending his hand for the tall drag queen to shake. “A pleasure, ma’am.”

“All mine, Mayor Sturm.” Andrea didn’t bother to alter her voice’s smooth tenor. “I’m so glad you have recovered so well after the poisoning.”

“Yes, bit of a scare, but all’s well that ends well.” The mayor gave his fake chuckle and looked around. “Where are the cameras?”

“I believe you know Ms. Doria under a different name,” Persephone said, stepping between the two.

The mayor’s eyes narrowed and Persephone knew then he recognized her. He opened his mouth, but Poseidon stole the show by removing his platinum blonde wig and stating his name clearly.

The mayor’s people reacted immediately, drawing their weapons and forming a hedge around Zeus. Persephone found herself at the center of a deadly circle as Poseidon’s men also responded.

“Stop, just stop,” she cried out. Stretching out her hands in a ‘stop’ sign, Persephone looked from one powerful man to the other. “This is neutral territory. We are just going to talk.”

“Well, well,” Zeus said, staring at the tall black man. “This is an interesting way to get my attention. Although you had it as soon as you tried to poison me.”

“I’m innocent of that,” Poseidon said. The wig lay at his feet, and even wearing a dress and backed by only two men, he looked more than a match for the mayor’s posse. “You’re the one who allowed my shipment to be taken, and then reneged on our deal.”

“Enough,” Persephone said and, at her feet, Cerberus barked—a deep, dangerous sound that stilled the men who heard it. “Poseidon never tried to kill you, or my husband. And the matter of the shipment has been settled, are we agreed?” She glared at all of them. “The real issue is that you’re being played.”

“The only issue I have—” Zeus began but Persephone quickly cut him off.

“Don’t you get it? The Titans are setting you against each other. They’d like nothing better than to watch you take each other out. Then they can take the city with no one in their way.”

Persephone’s outburst seemed to silence the mayor, if only because he wasn’t used to being interrupted.

“Mr. Mayor, look at him,” Persephone snapped. “Does he look like he’s hiding anything from you?”

Zeus Sturm took in Poseidon from head to toe. Then, to everybody’s shock, he laughed, and it was a genuine, pleasant sound.

“Lower your weapons,” Zeus ordered his men, and Poseidon’s men mirrored them.

“This is unbelievable,” the mayor shook his head, but he had a smile on his face. “You planned this ambush?”

Poseidon also grinned. “Mrs. Ubeli did. I come in peace.”

“An alliance, eh? You, me, and Ubeli, all united against the Titans?”

“So says the lady,” Poseidon nodded.

The mayor studied Persephone. “Do you speak for your husband?”

“She does,” a voice echoed from near the ceiling, and Hades Ubeli sauntered down the stairs at the side of the stage, flanked by several Shades.

At the sight of him, all the air rushed out of Persephone’s lungs. Down at the base of the stairs, the curtain rippled and Charon stepped out of his hiding place, nodding to her. She nodded back and retreated from center stage to watch the mayor, the shipping mogul and the mob boss converse.

“An alliance, then.” Zeus actually sounded pleased. “Me in office, Poseidon controlling the sea and Ubeli,” he waved his hand as if that would encompass Ubeli’s activities on both sides of the law.

“Agreed,” Poseidon said, and looked to Hades, who fixed him with a dark stare.

“Return my men.”

“Done,” Poseidon said. “Although I’d like to hire them as muscle. The Titans took their shots at offing the two of you. Once they know I have no intention of aligning myself with them, they will come for me.”

“Very well,” Hades said. “I’ll give the orders. We’ll keep staging skirmishes to get the Titans thinking we’re at war. Then, when the timing’s right, we strike.”

Persephone turned in a slow circle, looking at all three of the men, almost disbelieving at how well this was all turning out.

“So, if we’re all agreed—” Zeus began, when movement caught Persephone’s eye.

“Get down,” she shrieked, and the men around the mayor reacted instantly, pulling him to the floor and raising their weapons.

They were too slow for Spike Hair, who darted out of the wings and fired before any of the mayor’s men could react.

But he didn’t aim for the mayor.

“Hades,” Persephone cried and Charon threw himself forward, but he was too late. The gun went off, and Hades dropped.

Someone jerked Persephone back. “Come, Mrs. Ubeli, I’ve got to get you out of here.”

It was a Shade, Angelo she thought his name was. But she had to get to Hades, to see if he was okay?—

But no matter how she struggled, Angelo pulled her backwards from the scene, stronger than he looked. Charon had rolled off Hades but she couldn’t see— She couldn’t see if?—

Spike Hair continued to fire. Bullets ricocheted around the stage. It had all happened in seconds and Persephone couldn’t, she couldn’t?—

Angelo was pulling her from the room and out down a hallway. “I have orders to get you to the back exit if anything happens,” he said, dragging her away from Hades and Charon.

She wanted to wrench away from him and run back, but gods, she could still hear the gunfire. What good would she really do Hades if she went back in there, though? She’d only be a distraction from him getting himself to safety.

He’d ordered his Shades to get her out should something happen. For once in her life, she could obey and not screw things up worse.

So no matter how much she wanted to punch Angelo in the face and run back to help the others, she went along with him as he hurried her down the hallway and out the exit into the warm evening air.

And right into an alley where her mother, Demeter Titan, stood with half a dozen armed guards waiting.

“Baby, it’s so good to finally see you again.”