Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

I called Kane on my drive home to update him on The Corporation’s attempt to use Otto against me. “Do you think you should warn the guild members not to speak with any Corporation representatives if approached?”

Kane was silent for a moment. “I would prefer not to raise the issue. One of the more industrious ones might decide to be proactive and approach The Corporation first. They’re not all like Gunther and Camryn.”

Which is why Kane had chosen to oversee the guild and keep its members in check. “Maybe not, but do you think they’d risk pissing you off?”

“If they felt confident they could strike a deal without getting caught, they might decide it was worth a try, especially given The Corporation’s vast resources. The organization could offer just about anything, including protection.”

I sighed. “Not the answer I wanted to hear, but I appreciate your honesty.”

“Have you strengthened the ward yet?”

“Phaedra’s working on it. Rome wasn’t built in a day, you know. ”

“Maybe not, but Charleston threw together a wall and a moat in the early 1700s to defend its waterfront against an imminent Spanish invasion.”

“I’ve got those already,” I said, parking outside the gate. “As a matter of fact, I’m looking at them right now.” Sort of. It was dark now and nobody had switched on the outdoor lights.

“They won’t be enough, Lorelei. You need more. The Corporation could tunnel underneath them both and appear right at your front door if they really wanted to. Never mind the gate. Enchant your whole damn property, including the cemetery.”

“I relocated those spirits when I moved in.”

“The spirits, yes. What about their bodies? You said The Corporation has a necromancy department. Who knows what else they have at their disposal? We need to be two steps ahead of them, not three steps behind.”

Kane was usually the epitome of calm, cool, and collected, but the demon sounded ready to blow an artery. The more he pushed, the more my muscles tensed.

“If this is such an urgent matter, then maybe you shouldn’t have brought Alessandro to me for help. Any other reason to bite off my head today or does that about cover it?”

He paused. “I had no intention of…”

I cut him off. “The road to hell was paved with good intentions. You should know that better than anybody, Your Highness .”

“Lorelei…”

I hung up and stormed out of the truck, slamming the door behind me. I immediately turned back toward the ancient pickup. “Sorry, Gary. I shouldn’t have taken my anger out on you.” I patted the door to make amends.

I stomped through the gate and across the bridge. “Three steps behind,” I grumbled. “Enchant your whole damn property. With what magic?”

I was so caught up in my solo reenactment of the conversation that I marched straight past Ray to the front door.

“Everything okay, Lorelei?” he asked.

I spun around to face him. My inclination was to tell him everything was fine, but instead I blurted, “I had a little tiff with Kane on the drive home.”

“Lovers’ quarrel so soon?”

“It wasn’t that. He’s worried about The Corporation because he’s worried about me, and I made Mount Doom out of a hobbit hole.”

“Sounds dramatic. Did you apologize?”

“You think I should?”

He frowned. “You were raised by humans, right?”

“Not ones who knew how to say sorry.” Pops was many things, but quick to apologize was not one of them.

“It doesn’t need to be a big deal. Next time you see him, tell him you’re sorry for overreacting. Apologies are best given in person. Why did you overreact?”

“Because he acted like I’m floating around the moat eating bonbons while my house burned down around me. Meanwhile, I’ve agreed to solve the mystery of his bartender, which will take time and energy away from shoring up my defenses here, and he knows that.”

“Then maybe you didn’t overreact. Maybe you responded appropriately under the circumstances.”

My shoulders sagged. “Even so, I could’ve handled it better. Snapping at him and hanging up isn’t exactly a mature response.”

“It’s a high-pressure situation. You’re bound to snap every now and again. That’s called being human.”

Except I wasn’t human, not really. I was a goddess with incredible power, and I had a responsibility to maintain my cool. One moment of anger and I could destroy lives. Pops used to warn me all the time with his version of Uncle Ben’s Spider-Man speech.

“I appreciate the support, Ray.” My gaze snagged on the police car rolling to a stop behind my truck.

“Were you speeding?” Ray asked.

“Not this time.”

Officer Leo Kilkenny emerged from the car, dressed in uniform. Moonlight illuminated his reddish-blond hair and pale skin. His Labrador-like exuberance had endeared him to me from the moment I met him, and his athletic build and charming personality had endeared him to the rest of the Fairhaven population. Chief Garcia had chosen well when she’d replaced Officer Lindley, whose death was the unfortunate byproduct of life in a supernatural town.

I hadn’t known Officer Lindley, but I was friendly with Leo and the chief. A lump formed in my throat. What if The Corporation decided not to wait for Otto’s answer and chose another path, one that involved human casualties? Any harm that came to the residents of Fairhaven would be my fault.

I struggled to find my voice as I walked toward the gate to meet him. “Hey, Officer Leo. I guess this isn’t a social call.”

Leo rubbed the back of his head. “So, um, this might sound a little crazy, but we’ve had reports of flying dogs. Chief Garcia assumed the calls were coming from the drug den…”

“Fairhaven has a drug den?”

“This is America, Lorelei. Every town has a drug den. Anyway, they didn’t call it in. It was actually Jessie Talbot’s neighbor, Gloria. She said that she was driving Jessie home from a doctor’s appointment and that Jessie started ranting and raving about flying dogs. Gloria thought they might be aliens, so she called the police.”

Jessie Talbot was one of the oldest residents in town; she also happened to have the Sight. If she claimed to see flying dogs, then there were flying dogs.

“Where?” I asked.

Leo peered at the blue-black sky. “She said they were circling the area above the hilltop.”

“That’s my house.”

He grinned. “Yeah, that’s why I’m here, or did you think I came to spread gossip about sweet Ms. Talbot?”

An inky void greeted my gaze. “I don’t see anything.”

Until I did. A flash of movement where no movement should be.

My stomach tensed as the silhouette of a dark wing stretched across the sky.

I spoke slowly and quietly. “Leo, do yourself a favor and get in your car.”

“You see something?”

I maintained my composure. “Yes.”

“Are they aliens? Because, honestly, that seems more plausible than flying dogs.”

“They’re not aliens. Go now. Lock the door, and whatever you do, don’t open it until I say so.”

His brow rippled with confusion. “But I’m the one with a gun.”

“Guns aren’t helpful.”

I glimpsed another wing. And another. Six total. There were three of them. A trio of big ass flying devil dogs circling my house. That couldn’t be a coincidence.

“Leo, I’m serious. I need you to go.”

“Lorelei, I’m…”

“Now!”

He sprinted to his car. I kept my focus on the three creatures soaring above the Castle. Once I heard the slamming of a car door, I relaxed, but only slightly—because there were still three winged monsters to contend with .

I crossed the bridge for a better look. Their wings weren’t feathered like birds; instead, they were jagged and batlike. Their bodies were covered in short, coarse hair. In contrast to their hideousness, their movements were effortlessly graceful. They swooped and undulated, hypnotically rhythmic.

One head turned toward me, quickly followed by two more. Their eyes shone like the wicks of flickering candles in the night. Mesmerizing. Terrifying.

And achingly familiar.

My heart lodged in my throat. These weren’t random monsters that flew through the crossroads. They were the Hounds of Hades. The Erinyes. The less knowledgeable referred to them as the Furies.

“Lorelei?” Ray said softly. “What’s happening?”

I was so wrapped up in the revelation, I’d forgotten the ghost was nearby. “Don’t worry. You’ll be safe but do me a favor and stay away. I can’t handle distractions.”

Ray disappeared.

My unwelcome visitors landed in the cemetery. I carried no weapons, nor was there time to retrieve any. I considered barricading myself inside the house, but I knew it was useless. Like a determined burglar, if the Erinyes wanted in, they’d get in.

I glanced over my shoulder at the police car. Without the Sight, he wouldn’t be able to see the Erinyes. I hoped it was dark enough to shield me from his vision too. Gods forbid if anything terrible happened to me, I didn’t want the image burned into Leo’s retinas until he died. Although I was the goddess of nightmares, I had no desire to inflict them on others unintentionally.

I crossed the yard and stopped at the edge of the cemetery. The visitors were sniffing the dirt along the headstones. They were either tracking a scent or they really enjoyed the smell of rotting corpses. Probably both.

“Good evening, ladies,” I said. “Welcome to the Castle.”

Their heads jerked up to look at me. Three sets of eyes blazed with righteous indignation, which seemed appropriate for the Furies.

They were my father’s creatures. Melinoe must have known them once upon a time, not that I recalled the specifics. Any memories I had of the trio were whispers in the dark. The tickle of a feather trailing down my cheek, just on the edge of my line of sight.

The middle one folded her batlike wings against her back and stepped toward me, scenting the air. Her upper lip lifted in a snarl—or was that a smile?

The other two stopped sniffing, not because I’d interrupted them, but because they seemed to have located their target.

Me.

The creatures edged closer. Their guttural noises rumbled through my body as though I was making them myself.

Hounds and dogs usually deferred to me, but these creatures belonged to Hades. There was no telling how they’d respond to Melinoe reborn in human form.

I wondered why they retained their canine forms. I knew from my lessons with Pops that the Erinyes could take human form if they chose. It would certainly make communication easier.

“Why are you here?” I asked in a gentle voice. No reason to agitate them when I was outnumbered.

They crept closer.

I held up my hands like I was under arrest. “Let’s make a deal. Don’t try to hurt me, and I won’t hurt you. Got it?”

The middle one lunged .

I fell backward and the back of my head slammed against the ground. My saving grace was the pile of weeds that Nana Pratt hadn’t yet disposed of—they made for a softer landing.

The other two creatures flanked us as we rolled around in the dirt. Each time I gained the upper hand, the creature reclaimed hers. Thankfully, she opted not to bite my face when she had the chance, yet she continued to wrestle for dominance. Whatever her intentions were, they didn’t appear to involve disfiguring me.

Despite the tumult, I managed to shield my mind from hers. Their main job involved torture and vengeance. A vision of the Fury’s nightmare would likely incapacitate me more than her.

With a startling yelp, the creature released me. I spotted a five-fingered friend straddling her snout. Claude had poked her in the eyes.

“There you are!” I hadn’t seen the revenant all day.

The hound’s jaws snapped at Claude as he ran up her forehead to grip her head. The other two creatures seemed uncertain how to respond. Claude flattened himself like a starfish, still clinging to the creature’s coarse fur. Her companions tried to bite the revenant off her head, but it was clear they were concerned about hurting her in the process.

From what I recalled about the trio, some of their powers were similar to mine, such as the ability to inflict madness, possibly because they were also creatures of Hades. Historically, they were so feared that people addressed them by euphemistic names like the Kindly Ones rather than speak the name Erinyes.

I jumped to my feet. “Daughters of Darkness, I’ll ask you one more time. Why are you here? Why not address me in your human forms?”

Claude sprang from the middle one’s head to land on my shoulder. The revenant was surprisingly limber for his age and the gnarled state of his digits.

The monstrous hounds glowered at me. The middle one jerked her head in some sort of signal to the other two. The trio spread their wings and took to the air.

I exhaled, continuing to watch them as they flew in the direction of the crossroads. I pulled out my phone to text the group chat. Whichever guards were on duty needed to be warned. Of course, if the hounds came through that way, they’d already know—in which case, why hadn’t they notified me?

I sent the message. I made a mental note to call Weston Davies, the pack’s alpha, as soon as I dealt with Officer Leo.

Bless him. He was still in the patrol car with his forehead resting on the steering wheel. I knocked on the window, causing him to bolt upright. Relief flooded his features at the sight of me, and he rolled down the window.

“All good?” he asked.

“For now. I’m surprised you listened to me.”

“You’re Lorelei. You know things.”

“I do?”

“That’s been my impression. Besides, the chief trusts you.”

“She said that?”

“Not directly, but I’ve learned how to interpret the few grunts she makes.” He grinned. “You’re not her favorite, though. That honor belongs to…”

“West,” I finished for him.

His grin broadened. “You pay attention too.”

“Hypervigilance is one of my superpowers.”

He glanced at the sky, now devoid of otherworldly creatures. “I’ve watched a lot of nature documentaries, but I’ve never heard of flying dogs.” He tapped his thumbs on the wheel. “They sound like monsters out of a video game. They weren’t, though, right? It wasn’t just Ms. Talbot’s senility finally kicking in? She’s got to be close to a hundred.”

“I promise you they were not monsters out of a video game, and, despite her advanced age, Jessie Talbot remains an extremely reliable witness.”

His shoulders relaxed slightly. “Good to know. Do you know what they were?”

“Bats.”

“Bats the size of dogs?”

“The shadows made them look larger than they actually were.”

“Why did you send me to my car? I don’t mind bats.”

“I assume you mind rabies, though.”

He flinched. “You think they were rabid?”

“Possibly. They weren’t behaving normally.” That much was true.

He exhaled. “I’m glad I don’t have to tell the chief there were three giant dogs with wings. I might get drug tested and put on unpaid leave.”

“What would you have done if I’d confirmed Jessie’s description?”

“Dunno. Told her a few animal balloons escaped their owner from a nearby children’s party.”

I smiled. “Creative. I like it. If you receive any more reports, do me a favor and call me first.”

He peered at me. “Because you’re a rabies expert?”

“Something like that.”

He stared at me for a beat too long. “One of these days you’ll tell me your story over a cold beer at Monk’s because I know it involves a helluva lot more than living in London for a few years.”

“My story would be far more disappointing than the beer at Monk’s.” In truth, I wasn’t convinced he could handle the news. Leo was sweet, an energetic Labrador in human form, but he didn’t possess the Sight. It would be too challenging to explain, and I didn’t want to risk alienating him or the chief. If the local authorities turned on me, Fairhaven could quickly become a very uncomfortable place to live. I’d invested too much in the Castle, in the town; I had no desire to move again.

Leo licked his lips as he contemplated me. “You’re a mysterious lady, Lorelei Clay, but I still like you.”

“Glad to hear it. I still like you too.”

He rolled up his window and pulled onto the road.

I immediately called West. “Hey, it’s Lorelei. We have a situation.”

“I had the phone in my hand to call you. The guards reported three flying monsters leaving through the crossroads. One of them smacked Anna in the back of the head with a wing as it zipped past. Knocked her flat on her face.”

“Is she okay?”

“The only bruise is her ego.”

“The guards didn’t see them when they flew into town?”

“Seemed to be a one-way trip.”

Which meant the Erinyes had been somewhere else in this realm before they flew to Fairhaven, and even worse, they knew about the crossroads.

“Jessie Talbot saw them, and her neighbor called the police. Chief Garcia sent Leo to investigate, which brought him to my house.”

“Naturally.” I could practically hear his smirk. “Did he see them?”

“No, but he knew something strange was happening. I told him they were rabid bats.”

West fell silent for a moment. “I think it might be time.”

I didn’t need him to expand on that sentence to grasp his meaning. “Are you sure? That’s a major step. ”

“I know. It’s why I’ve avoided it for so many years. Do you think those creatures will make a return trip?”

I closed my eyes and released a breath. “Yes.”

“Are they after you?”

“Possibly. They seemed to recognize my scent.” Apparently, Melinoe’s godly aroma was strong enough to seep through my human pores, the nuclear version of Drakkar Noir.

“What are they?” he asked.

“They’re known by many names. The Erinyes. Daughters of Darkness. The Furies. Hounds of Hades.”

“What do you know? Actual hellhounds. And here I thought it was only a description.”

“They’re not technically hellhounds. That’s more Cerberus.”

“Childhood pet?”

“More or less.”

“From your underworld, right?”

“Yep.”

“That can’t be a coincidence. They were here for you. Do you think they want you dead?”

“They were aggressive, but one of them had the chance to scar me for life, and she didn’t take it. It’s possible their orders were only to track me. Once they identified me, they left.” But if that were true, then why did the middle one lunge at me? As usual, I had more questions than answers.

“Okay, then who sent them to find you? Hades?”

“No, definitely not. He isn’t available. Neither is Persephone.” My original father was … well, I had no clue where he was, only that The Corporation murdered his avatar, my human father. It was unclear whether Hades was obliterated then or currently existing in a void somewhere until he gained the strength to return. My inner goddess hoped for the latter, although a family reunion seemed too much to ho pe for given everything I’d learned the past couple months.

“Who’s in charge of the underworld if your parents aren’t there?” West asked.

“Good question. No clue.”

“There must be somebody, right? Otherwise, wouldn’t chaos have broken out? I’d expect us to have underworld escapees through the crossroads.”

My mind immediately conjured an image of Apep and his followers. It seemed there was more than one underworld under the threat of chaos right now, which only increased the likelihood that The Corporation was involved in the disappearance of Anubis.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” I told West. “Just because I’m Melinoe doesn’t mean I’ve retained a connection to my birthplace. I’ve only had snippets of memories and emotions.” And those only began after my fleeting and unexpected visit to the throne room of Hades and Persephone via an abandoned church in New York City.

“Well, aren’t you a font of useful knowledge?” He sighed. “When do you want to do this?”

I couldn’t help but smile at the phone. I knew by ‘this,’ he meant the conversation with Chief Garcia. “Have we progressed this far in our relationship that we speak in shorthand now?”

“I appreciate your directness, Clay. If I’m being honest, it’s one of your best qualities.”

“Right back at you.” I contemplated our next move. If we were going to rip off the chief’s rose-colored glasses, it seemed best to do it before the creatures returned. “I think sooner rather than later.”

“Agreed. Should we start with the chief only and let her decide how to proceed?”

“I think we should include Leo. He’s more astute than he lets on. He knows something strange is going on, even though he didn’t see anything.” If he had, they’d feature in his nightmares, that much was guaranteed.

“Yeah, I like Leo. He’s sharper than Lindley was. Might just save his life one day.”

His comment pushed me over the hump of reluctance. I’d been more worried about losing my credibility with the police than protecting their lives. If this knowledge helped empower Leo and the chief to protect themselves against future threats, then I was all in favor.

I felt relieved when West offered to take charge of the meeting. I didn’t look forward to shattering their world as they knew it, especially Leo’s. It would be like telling a Labrador that he was, in fact, a dog and not an extra hairy human.

“I’ll let you know when and where,” West said. “Anyone else we should invite?”

“Depends on how forthcoming we want to be. I don’t think we should tell them about the Assassins Guild.”

“What about Sullivan?”

I mulled it over. “Let’s stick to the immediate situation. I don’t think it’s our place to reveal more than ourselves and any immediate threats.”

“Good to be back on the same page, Clay.”

I didn’t think we were ever truly off the same page, but I saw no need to contradict him. “Talk soon.”

I slid the phone in my pocket and turned to see Ray and Nana Pratt hovering on the front porch.

“Was that your werewolf friend on the phone?” Nana Pratt asked.

“That was West, yes.”

“I’m pleased you two are getting along now. I like him.”

“Glad to hear it. Did either of you see the flying hounds?” I asked .

Nana Pratt grasped the neckline of her terrycloth robe. “Dogs with wings?” She glanced skyward. “I’m glad I missed them.”

“They were flying overhead and landed in the cemetery. Where were you?”

“In the kitchen making a list of everything you’ll need to order from Hewitt’s. If you leave it too long, you might have to wait. Those retired vultures swoop in and buy up everything before the working folk have a chance to get their act together.”

I squinted at her. “Weren’t you one of those retired vultures?”

She puffed out her chest. “Maybe when I was alive, but now I’m on your team.”

“I’m very fortunate. Listen, I appreciate all the work the two of you are doing, but make sure to take time for yourselves.”

Nana Pratt scoffed. “Time for ourselves? We’re dead, dear.”

“I realize that, but you could also use this time for reflection.”

Her nose scrunched. “I don’t understand.”

“You lived a long life. You experienced joy and tragedy and heartache. Don’t you ever just sit and reflect on how it impacted you?”

“I don’t have to think about it. It’s the reason I’m still here. If it hadn’t impacted me, I’d have crossed over with all the other ghosts.”

“I’m with Ingrid. I don’t need to contemplate anything. I just need to stick around and make sure my family is okay.”

I could see my words would have no effect on them, not today anyway. “West and I have agreed to tell Chief Garcia and Officer Leo about the supernatural world. ”

Nana Pratt whooped. “I thought that’s what your conversation was about. How exciting. Can we be there?”

“West is hosting.”

Her face fell.

“We could still attend, though,” Ray said. “If you command us to accompany you, we won’t have a choice.”

“The meeting will be challenging enough without the extra pairs of eyes. I think it’s best if you two sit this one out.”

“On that note, could you order me to go to the library?” Ray asked. “I’d like to research your friend’s rune and the internet isn’t cooperating.”

“On one condition—you have to go after hours.” Hailey Jones was already functioning on the edge of sanity. If the librarian saw books floating through the air, she’d sign herself into an asylum.

“Deal.”

“Ooh, could I go, too?” Nana Pratt asked.

“You want to do research?” That was typically Ray’s domain.

“I’d like to find a new book to read. I’m a little bored with the psychology books Ray keeps forcing on me.”

Ray gave an indignant sniff. “I’m not forcing them on you. All you have to do is say no thank you.”

“Not everybody wants to learn about how the brain gets washed during sleep.” She grimaced. “It’s disgusting.”

“It’s incredible,” Ray said. “There are fluids that…”

Nana Pratt groaned.

“Sorry, Ray. She doesn’t want to hear about your bodily fluids.”

“Her loss. The human brain is fascinating.”

“I’m glad you’re still excited to learn.”

“Did you know you’re far less likely to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s if you continue to learn new information as you get older? There was a study done on a group of nuns… ”

I was beginning to see Nana Pratt’s point. I held up a finger. “Hold that thought. As much as I’d like to hear you wax poetic about a group of nuns, I really need to get moving.”

“You only just got home. Where to now?”

“I need to apologize to someone, and a wise man once told me that apologies were best given in person.”

Ray stroked his chin. “Very sage advice, if I do say so myself.”

Nana Pratt rolled her eyes. “It was you, wasn’t it?”