21. Sean

Chapter 21

Sean

S ean couldn't help but stare at the newcomer, his eyes widening as he took in the sheer presence of the man. Alex exuded an aura of power that made Sean's hair stand on end. It wasn't just his physical stature, though that was impressive enough – all broad shoulders and corded muscle that spoke of years of combat experience. No, it was something deeper, an almost palpable energy that seemed to radiate from him in waves.

Fuck, Sean thought, swallowing hard. This guy could probably snap him in half without breaking a sweat.

As if sensing Sean's discomfort, Marcus sidled up next to him, throwing a companionable arm around his shoulders. "Don't let the whole 'terrifying badass' vibe fool you," he whispered, his breath warm against Sean's ear. "He may be the former lord of the underworld, but Alex is the best boss and person you'll ever meet."

Sean blinked, sure he must have misheard. "I'm sorry, what? Former lord of the what now?"

Marcus pulled back slightly, confusion clouding his features. "Wait, Gabe didn't tell you? Alex is Hades. Like, the actual Greek god of the underworld."

For a moment, Sean just stared at Marcus, waiting for the punchline. When it didn't come, he burst out laughing, the sound sharp and slightly hysterical in the tense atmosphere of the room.

All eyes turned to him, a mixture of confusion and concern on the faces around him. Gabe stepped forward, his brow furrowed. "Sean? What's so funny?"

Sean shook his head, trying to catch his breath. "I'm sorry, it's just... Marcus here was telling me the most ridiculous thing. He said that Alex is Hades. You know, the mythological god of the dead?" He chuckled again, but the sound died in his throat as he took in the serious expressions on everyone's faces. "Come on, guys. That's... that's not possible. Right?"

Gabe's gaze flickered to Alex, who gave an almost imperceptible nod. "Actually, Sean," Gabe said slowly, as if choosing his words carefully, "it's true. Alex really is Hades."

Sean felt the floor drop out from under him, his mind reeling as it tried to process this information. He'd seen a lot of crazy shit in his life – hell, he could manipulate shadows with his mind – but this? This was a whole new level of insanity.

"You're joking," he said weakly, but even as the words left his mouth, he knew they weren't. The gravity in Gabe's eyes, the solemn nods from the rest of the team... this wasn't some elaborate prank.

Before Sean could fully wrap his head around what was happening, Alex moved. One moment he was across the room, the next he was standing directly in front of Sean, moving with a speed that shouldn't have been possible for someone his size.

"Perhaps a demonstration is in order," Alex said, his voice a deep rumble that Sean felt in his bones. Without warning, he reached out, pressing his palm against Sean's forehead.

The world fell away.

Images flashed before Sean's eyes, so vivid and real he could have sworn he was there. A great battle, the clash of steel and the crackle of otherworldly energy filling the air. Elysium, he realized with a start. This was the war in Elysium.

He saw Alex – no, Hades – fighting with a grace and power that defied description. Shadows danced at his command, more fluid and deadly than anything Sean had ever managed. Beside him fought a man of blinding light, his arrows finding their mark with unerring accuracy.

Apollo, Sean's mind supplied, though he had no idea how he knew.

The scene shifted, and suddenly Sean was watching a more intimate moment. Hades cradling Apollo's broken body, anguish etched into every line of his face. The light was fading from Apollo's eyes, but his hand reached up to caress Hades' cheek one last time.

"I'll find you again," Apollo whispered, his voice fading even as Sean heard it. "In another life, my love. I promise."

The vision ended as abruptly as it had begun. Sean gasped, stumbling backward as the real world reasserted itself. His legs gave out, and he would have fallen if not for Gabe's steadying hand on his arm.

"What the fuck," Sean wheezed, his heart racing. "What... what was that?"

Alex's expression was unreadable as he lowered his hand. "A glimpse into my past," he said simply, as if he hadn't just turned Sean's entire worldview upside down. "I find it's often easier to show than tell when it comes to matters of divinity."

Sean's mind whirled, trying to process everything he'd seen. The battle, the power, the heart-wrenching loss... it was almost too much to take in. And yet, as he looked at Alex now, he could see it. The ancient wisdom in his eyes, the aura of power that seemed to bend reality around him. How had he not noticed it before?

"I didn't know you could do that," Gabe said, his voice tinged with awe and a hint of concern. "Show people your memories like that."

Alex shrugged, a surprisingly human gesture for a being Sean now knew to be anything but. "It's not an ability I use often," he explained. "It's a form of mental intrusion, after all. I generally prefer to respect the privacy of others' thoughts."

The casual way he spoke about rifling through someone's mind sent a chill down Sean's spine. If this was what Alex considered respect for privacy, he'd hate to see what happened when the gloves came off.

"So," Sean said, finally finding his voice again. "You're really... I mean, you're actually..."

"Hades," Alex finished for him, a hint of amusement coloring his tone. "Yes. Former lord of the underworld, current leader of the Shadowguards, and occasional pain in Gabe's ass."

The last part startled a laugh out of Sean, the absurdity of the situation finally hitting him full force. Here he was, standing in Gabe's living room, having just had his mind blown by the actual god of the dead. And said god was cracking jokes about being Gabe's boss.

"This is insane," Sean muttered, running a hand through his hair. "I mean, I knew the world was weird, but this? Greek gods walking around, leading secret supernatural police forces? It's like something out of a bad urban fantasy novel."

Gabe squeezed his arm gently, a silent show of support. "I know it's a lot to take in," he said softly. "Trust me, I had a similar reaction when I first found out. But Alex... he's one of the good guys, Sean. He's saved my life more times than I can count."

Sean nodded, trying to reconcile the terrifying being he'd glimpsed in those memories with the man standing before him now. It wasn't easy, but he trusted Gabe. If Gabe said Alex was on their side, then Sean would believe him. For now, at least.

"Okay," Sean said, taking a deep breath. "Okay. I'm dealing with this. Sort of. But can someone please explain to me why the literal god of the dead is hanging out in Salem? Don't you have, I don't know, souls to judge or something?"

Alex's laugh was unexpected, a rich, warm sound that seemed to fill the room. "I retired from that particular duty a long time ago," he said, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "These days, I prefer to focus on more earthly matters. Like keeping the supernatural world from imploding and taking the rest of reality with it."

Sean shook his head, still trying to wrap his mind around it all. "And the Shadowguards? That's what, your divine task force or something?"

"Something like that," Alex agreed. "Though most of the team is mortal, with a few notable exceptions." His gaze flickered to Marcus, who grinned and gave a little wave.

Sean's eyes widened as he turned to Marcus. "Wait, are you-"

"Hermes' kid," Marcus confirmed, his smile growing wider.

The casual mention of another god – and the implication that there were more out there – made Sean's head spin. He sank onto the nearest chair, suddenly feeling very small and very, very mortal.

"This is... a lot," he said weakly. "I mean, I knew Gabe was involved in some heavy supernatural shit, but this? This is way beyond anything I ever imagined."

Gabe knelt beside him, his expression a mixture of concern and understanding. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," he said softly. "It's not exactly the kind of thing you can just drop into casual conversation, you know? 'Hey, by the way, my boss is the Greek god of death. Pass the salt?'"

Despite himself, Sean felt a smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, I guess that would have been a bit much for a first date conversation."

The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of everything that had been revealed settling over them. Sean could feel the others watching him, waiting to see how he'd react.

Sean's mind reeled, struggling to process the reality of his situation. Here he was, standing in the same room as an actual fucking god. The air seemed to crackle with an otherworldly energy, making the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Every instinct honed by years of survival screamed at him to run, to get as far away from this being of immense power as possible.

But Sean stood his ground, forcing himself to meet Alex's piercing gaze. The god's smirk was knowing, almost predatory, as if he could sense Sean's internal turmoil.

"I know you have a lot of questions," Alex said, his voice a low rumble that seemed to reverberate through Sean's bones. "But those can wait. We have more pressing matters to attend to." He turned to Gabe, all business now. "Is there a place where we can talk privately? Catch up on recent developments?"

Before Gabe could answer, he stepped closer to Sean, concern etched into his features. "Hey," he said softly, his hand coming to rest on Sean's arm. "You okay? I know this is a lot to take in."

Sean nodded, swallowing hard past the lump in his throat. "Yeah, I'm... I'll be fine. Just a lot to process, you know? Not every day you find out your boyfriend's boss is the literal god of death."

The word 'boyfriend' slipped out before Sean could stop it, and he felt his face heat. Were they boyfriends again? They hadn't exactly had time to define whatever this thing between them was.

If Gabe noticed the slip, he didn't comment on it. Instead, he gave Sean's arm a reassuring squeeze before turning back to Alex. "We can use the meeting room in the basement. It's secure and equipped for this kind of briefing."

Sean followed as Gabe led them down a narrow staircase, trying to ignore the way the walls seemed to close in around him. He'd never been a fan of enclosed spaces, a holdover from his days in his father's "training" facilities. The memory sent a shiver down his spine, and Sean forced it away. Now wasn't the time for old traumas to resurface.

At the bottom of the stairs, Gabe approached a nondescript door. He placed his palm against its surface, and Sean watched in fascination as lines of golden light spread out from the point of contact. Runes flickered to life, dancing across the door's surface before fading away.

"Lucas helped me set this up," Gabe explained as the door swung open silently. "It's where the coven holds its most sensitive meetings. Completely secure and off the grid."

Sean's eyes widened as he stepped into the room. It was like something out of a sci-fi movie, all sleek surfaces and high-tech displays. Holograms flickered to life around them, projecting maps and data streams that Sean couldn't begin to decipher. But interwoven with the technology were unmistakable signs of magic – glowing runes etched into the walls, crystals pulsing with otherworldly energy.

Sean breathed, unable to keep the awe from his voice. "This is intense."

Alex chuckled, the sound surprisingly warm. "Impressive, isn't it? Your boy here has quite the knack for blending the magical and mundane worlds."

They settled around a large table dominated by a massive screen. Sean couldn't help but feel out of place among all this advanced tech and ancient magic. He was just a washed-up ex-assassin with some parlor tricks. What the hell was he doing here?

"Alright, Gabe," Alex said, his tone all business now. "Bring me up to speed. What's the situation here?"

Sean watched as Gabe launched into a detailed report, outlining everything that had happened since the attack on his family. His voice was steady, confident in a way that made Sean's chest tighten with a mixture of pride and something dangerously close to longing.

This was Gabe in his element, Sean realized. A leader, a protector, someone who could go toe-to-toe with literal gods and hold his own. It was awe-inspiring and terrifying in equal measure.

As Gabe spoke, laying out plans and strategies with the ease of a seasoned commander, Sean felt a familiar weight settle in his gut. The realization hit him like a sucker punch to the solar plexus – Gabe would be going back to Manhattan soon. Back to his life as a Shadowguard, to his team and his mission to protect the world from supernatural threats.

And where did that leave Sean?

The thought of losing Gabe again, of watching him walk away for a second time, was almost too much to bear. Sean's hands clenched into fists beneath the table, his nails digging crescents into his palms as he fought to keep his expression neutral.

He couldn't do it. Not again. The past few days with Gabe had been like coming up for air after years of drowning. To lose that, to go back to the empty existence he'd been living... Sean wasn't sure he'd survive it this time.

But what were his options? Beg Gabe to stay? Ask to go with him to Manhattan? The idea was tempting, but Sean squashed it ruthlessly. He had no place in Gabe's world of gods and heroes. He was damaged goods, a liability at best and a danger at worst.

Besides, it was too soon. They'd only just started reconnecting, trying to rebuild something from the ashes of their past. Asking to uproot his entire life and follow Gabe to a new city? That was too much, too fast.

Wasn't it?

Sean's spiraling thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his name. He looked up to find both Gabe and Alex watching him expectantly.

"Sorry, what?" Sean said, mentally kicking himself for zoning out during such an important conversation.

Gabe's brow furrowed with concern. "I was just telling Alex about your connection to Riley. Your inside knowledge of the organization could be invaluable in tracking him down."

Sean nodded, forcing himself to focus on the task at hand. This was bigger than his personal drama. People's lives were at stake. "Right, yeah. I'll tell you everything I know. Though I'm not sure how much help I'll be. It's been years since I was involved with any of that shit."

Alex leaned forward, his intense gaze pinning Sean in place. "Any information you can provide could be crucial. We need every advantage we can get in this fight."

As Sean began to recount what he knew of Riley and his father's organization, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was standing at a crossroads. The choices he made in the coming days would shape not just his future, but potentially the fate of Salem's entire magical community.

It was a terrifying thought. Sean had spent so long running from responsibility, from the consequences of his actions. Now, here he was, thrust into the middle of a conflict with stakes higher than he could have imagined.

But as he caught Gabe's eye across the table, saw the pride and trust shining there, Sean felt something shift inside him. Maybe he didn't belong in this world of gods and heroes. Maybe he was still the same fuck-up he'd always been.

But Gabe believed in him. Gabe saw something in him worth fighting for, worth giving a second chance.

And maybe, just maybe, that was enough to start with.

Sean straightened in his chair, squaring his shoulders as he dove into the details of Riley's operation. He might not be a hero, might not have a place in this grand cosmic struggle. But he'd be damned if he didn't do everything in his power to help Gabe and his team stop whatever Riley was planning.

It wasn't much. But it was a start. And for the first time in a very long time, Sean allowed himself to hope that maybe, just maybe, it could lead to something more.

Sean was in the middle of explaining a particularly convoluted aspect of his father's organization when his phone buzzed insistently in his pocket. He fished it out, ready to silence it, but froze when he saw the caller ID. Dad.

"Fuck," Sean muttered, his heart rate spiking. His father never called. Not unless something was seriously wrong.

"Everything okay?" Gabe asked, concern etching his features.

Sean nodded, already pushing back from the table. "Yeah, just... I need to take this. Sorry. I'll be right back."

He could feel their eyes on him as he hurried out of the room, his father's ringtone growing more insistent with each step. Sean's mind raced, conjuring up a dozen worst-case scenarios. Had Riley made a move? Was the organization compromised?

Once in the hallway, Sean answered the call, pressing the phone to his ear with a shaking hand. "Dad? What's going on?"

The sound that greeted him made his blood run cold. His father's voice, usually so strong and commanding, came out as a ragged whisper. "S-Sean, Son? Whatever they say, don't do it. I'll be fine. Don-"

The words cut off abruptly, replaced by the sickening thud of flesh meeting flesh. Sean's stomach lurched as he heard his father's muffled grunt of pain.

"Dad? Dad!" Sean shouted, gripping the phone so tightly his knuckles turned white.

A new voice came on the line, smooth and coldly amused. "Hello, Sean. It's been a while."

"Riley," Sean growled, fury and fear warring for dominance in his chest. "What the fuck do you want?"

Riley's laugh sent shivers down Sean's spine. "Oh, it's quite simple, really. I want you to bring me the girl. You have one hour to deliver her and yourself to the address I'm about to send you. Fail to comply, and Daddy dearest here gets to find out just how creative I can be with a knife."

Sean's mind raced, searching for a way out of this impossible situation. "I'm not bringing Jessy into this," he snarled. "Whatever your problem is, you take it out on me. Leave the girl out of this, you psycho."

"Now, now," Riley chided, his tone dripping with false concern. "Is that any way to talk to the man holding your father's life in his hands? One hour, Sean. You and the girl. Or Daddy dies screaming."

The line went dead before Sean could respond. He stood there for a long moment, staring at the phone in his hand as if it might offer some solution to this nightmare.

"Fuck!" Sean shouted, slamming his fist into the nearest wall. Pain bloomed across his knuckles, but he welcomed it. It was better than the crushing weight of guilt and fear threatening to overwhelm him.

As he turned to head back to the meeting room, to figure out how the hell he was going to explain this to Gabe and the others, Sean froze. Standing at the end of the hallway, eyes wide with shock and fear, were Jessy and Finn.

"Shit," Sean muttered, his stomach dropping. How much had they heard?

Jessy's face had gone pale, the tray of food she'd been carrying now scattered across the floor. "What... what's going on?" she asked, her voice small and trembling. "Why does that man want me?"

Sean crossed the distance between them in three long strides, pulling Jessy into a fierce hug before he could think better of it. "It's okay," he murmured, even though they both knew it was a lie. "You're not going anywhere. I'll fix this, I swear."

Jessy pulled back, her eyes searching Sean's face. "But your father... I can't let someone die because of me. I should-"

"No," Sean cut her off, his tone brooking no argument. "This isn't your fault, Jessy. None of this is. You're staying here with the Reeds where it's safe. I'll handle Riley."

Finn, who had been watching the exchange with growing alarm, finally spoke up. "Sean, you can't seriously be thinking of going alone. We need to tell Gabe, get the team involved. This is exactly the kind of situation they're trained for."

Sean shook his head, guilt and determination warring in his chest. "There's no time. If I don't show up in an hour, my father's dead. I can't risk that. And I sure as hell can't risk Jessy."

"So what, you're just going to walk into an obvious trap?" Finn demanded, frustration coloring his tone. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard, and I've patched up Marcus after some truly spectacular fuck-ups."

Sean managed a grim smile. "Yeah, well, I've got a talent for dumb decisions. Look, just... promise me you won't tell Gabe. Not until I'm gone. Tell him I had an emergency or something."

Finn's expression darkened. "You're out of your mind if you think I'm going to let you do this. Gabe would never forgive me if something happened to you."

The mention of Gabe sent a pang through Sean's chest. God, what would Gabe think when he found out? Would he hate Sean for running off half-cocked? For putting himself in danger? Or worse, would he blame himself for not seeing this coming?

Sean pushed the thoughts aside. He couldn't afford to get distracted now. "I don't have a choice, Finn. My father, for all his faults, is the only family I've got left. I can't let him die. Not when I have a chance to save him."

He turned back to Jessy, who was watching the exchange with wide, frightened eyes. "Stay here, okay? The Reeds will keep you safe. I promise."

Before either of them could argue further, Sean was moving. He headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time. His mind raced, formulating and discarding plans as quickly as they came. He had no illusions about his chances against Riley and whatever force he'd mustered. But he'd be damned if he went down without a fight.

As Sean burst out of the house and into the cool night air, he allowed himself one moment of weakness. He thought of Gabe, of the future they might have had if things were different. Of lazy Sunday mornings and shared laughter and a love strong enough to weather any storm.

"I'm sorry," Sean whispered to the night, hoping somehow Gabe would understand. "I love you. Always have, always will."