Chapter 246 - Call it as I see it (2/2)
”Alright, keep us updated, and I'll tell Peg to hold off for now.” Arei said as he was about to hang up the phone.
Jos yelled out. ”Stay safe, guys!” Her troubled eyes moved up to Arei's as he ended the call and returned the phone to his pocket.
He ran a hand along her jaw. Stroking her chin with the pad of his thumb, he whispered. ”It's been a long time since I've seen that spark in your eyes.” His smile widened. ”I have to say, I'm equal parts happy to see it return and glad that it's not directed at me this time.”
Jos narrowed her eyes recalling their encounter at the USVA a few months ago. ”You intentionally kept trying to make me mad?!”
He laughed as he held his hands up in surrender. ”Only because you looked so damn cute!” His wide grin faded as he leaned down and caught her face between his large palms, holding her gently. ”I was jealous though, I'm man enough to admit it. I had gotten so excited to have the chance to finally run into you organically after all that time, and you were with DeMarco... one of the sc.u.mbags I'd spent the better part of the decade trying to bring down.”
Jos furrowed her brows. ”But I thought you were being forced to work for Zeus still yet at that time?”
Arei nodded. ”That particular vampire group was becoming too powerful for his liking. He wanted to see them brought down a peg or two but couldn't be bothered to do it himself. So, I was sent to deal with them.” He shrugged. ”The USVA was overall easy to work for. They never asked for much out of me and rarely stirred up trouble, but Draco DeMarco was set on his own version of world domination, and his son's followed in his every footstep.”
Jos frowned, ”It doesn't make sense. From what Xavier told me about his dad, he didn't like the man much. He blamed him for his mother's death.”
Arei stroked her cheek. She was still so naive and trusting, only ever wanting to see people as either fully good or fully bad. He shook his head. ”Xavier was what most would refer to as a wolf in sheep's clothing. He liked to lure people in with a false sense of safety, feeding them what they wanted to hear. His ability to read, control, and manipulate emotion made it easy for him to keep his hands clean. All the while, he would have his brother do all the dirty work for him.” His frown deepened. ”I'm not in any way excusing the man's treatment of Shelly or any of his actions. He was a deranged individual, but a lot of Dante's actions were ordered by Xavier himself... The man was a sociopath.” He shrugged. ”Maybe it happened after his mother was killed if she was killed... maybe it was due to being raised by a psychopath, but there's no doubt that in the end, he was likely trying to finish what his father started. I'd even go as far to guess had you and Shelly not interfered with their plans they may have succeeded.”
Jos furrowed her brows as a heavy frown settled over her features. ”Do you think his wife and kids are going to pick up where he left off?”
He gave an unhappy nod. ”If they are meeting with Fern, then chances are very likely.” He tightened his hold around Jos's waist as he rested his head against the doors. ”That only leaves one question, however, what part is Fern playing in all this exactly.”
***
Andy was still laughing several minutes after the call had ended. ”Gods, I've missed her! Who could have guessed that older more m.a.t.u.r.e Jos could be so fiery still! I can't wait to see how it goes once she settled back into the family.” She let out an amused giggle as she rested her head on Peg's shoulder.
Chary nodded as her attention moved to the library doors. ”It would be great to see them both settled into the family, but I worry Arei will never get over those early years... and in turn not give her the fair chance she deserves, yet again...” When the wolf's head shot over to hers in confusion, Chary elaborated with a heavy sigh. ”It's not easy being the children or even ancestors of main Olympians. The early years of their rule was a power struggle... none of us got out unscathed.” Her eyes became unfocused. ”Unfortunately, not all scars can be hidden by tattoos and transformations... some are engraved in our very souls.”
Scylla pushed herself farther out of the pool they had set the table up beside of and wrapped her hand around Chary's leg before placing a kiss on her calf. She rested her head against Chary's calf as Chary bent slightly and began running her fingers through Scylla's short jet-black hair. ”There's no denying it each child of Poseidon has been crushed past repair at some point... as has most of us old enough to have lived through those early years... but as someone who has found love with one of you... I can honestly say,” She lifted her head and brought Chary's hand down to cup the sharp lines of her cheek. ”For all the pain and torment, you've each endured, you love with equal intensity... once you let down your guards and allow yourselves to be loved...”
The single tear that ran down Chary's perfect makeup was the only outward sign of the emotional kink in the demi-goddess's well-placed mask of armor. She lowered to the ground on her knees and pulled Scylla into a tight embrace before kissing her deeply. ”It's only because of your constant caring and nurturing over several millennia that I'm able to be as happy and content with life... I'm not sure how I would have ended up had dad not brought you to me...”
Scylla brushed away the single tear with the pad of her thumb as she searched deep into the love of her life's beautiful sea, green eyes. ”I have faith that our dear Arei has found the same in Jos... I felt it then and even more so now. They both have pains to push past, but it will be in trying to heal one another's traumas that they will find peace within their own souls.”
Peg rolled his eyes. ”Damn, Scylla, you really need to stop falling asleep to those self-help audiobooks...” He sent her a teasing smile. ”Or at least try to make something out of it and start writing your own cheesy romance novels...”
Scylla leaned away from Chary and narrowed her eyes at her brother-in-law. ”Be glad you're sitting in front of a computer right now, or I would drown you...”
Peg arched a brow as his smile widened. ”Ah... There she is, the Scylla we are used to... I'm not sure I can take much of the gushy one...”
Scylla through a middle finger up in the air. ”Get f.u.c.k.e.d!”
Peg laughed as he scooted the chair out and held his hand out for Andy. ”You know what? I think I will!” He turned his attention back down to Andy. ”What do you say we head home for the night?”
Andy giggled as she took his hand and through a wave to everyone else. ”Tell Jos and Arei we're rooting for them!” She scooped up a few of the diaries she was yet to read through and held them up. ”I'll take these with me and continue reading through them as I can.”
Chary gave Scylla another affectionate kiss before pushing up from the floor. She walked around the table and gave her brother and Andy a hug. ”Call or text if you find anything.” She sent Peg a teasing smile as she squeezed Andy tighter. ”And if you need help giving him the f.u.c.k.i.n.g he deserves for being so rude to my dear Scylla, please let me know I have this one new strap-on that's the same size and shape as an elephant's d.i.c.k...” She narrowed her eyes at her brother. ”If it won't fit into his smart a.s.s maybe it can at least fill that smart mouth of his...” She sent Andy a wink as she released her and returned back to the chair, she was sitting in.
Shelly gave a wolfish grin but didn't take her eyes away from the diary she was reading. Peg and Andy, both, gave her friendly pats as they left the room.
Chary watched the wolf for a long time, amazed at how effectively she could still work in her animal form. Sitting forward, curiosity winning out, Chary leaned over the wolf's furry shoulder. ”What have you found that's so interesting?”
Chary's brows went up in surprise. ”Well, this is interesting.”
”What is it?” Scylla asked as she pushed up from the pool for a better look.
”I think this is one of the volumes Jos was talking about. Listen to what it says.” Chary said as she began to read the passage out loud.