I should have known Phobos was a vindictive dick, but I couldn’t have guessed they’d go after Apollo’s guards to get to me. The brothers had planned well for this revenge, taking advantage of Apollo and Ares being summoned to Mount Olympus. 

I screamed out as loud as I could, “Fire!”

I’d heard that if you shouted help, no one would show up. This was how the world operated now.  

“No one can hear you, little Cass,” Deimos said. “The dome seals everything. And my dad and Apollo won’t return until tomorrow. Zeus loves long meetings. So we’re going to have you for the whole night.”

“You killed Apollo’s captain,” I said. “He’ll know it’s you. And I’m the future bride of Ares and Apollo. If you damage me and ruin their plan, you’ll be in a world of hurt.”

Deimos chortled, as if I amused him to no end. “You’re right, brother. She does think like a mortal. Unlike the human and supernatural insects, gods hold different standards. And I, the God of Fear, am the expert on all things criminal in nature. Do you know what that means?”

“Like a professional criminal?” I offered.

“You’re mouthy, even caught in a dire situation,” he said. “But yes, I’ll recreate the crime scene, and after we’re done with you everyone will think you attacked us and killed the sentinel in order to escape. You have the motivation.”

“One logical problem there, sugar dolls,” I said.

Phobos flinched at his old nickname.

“With this torque binding me,” I continued, “I’m incapable of killing Thy. Although, if you unshackle the torque I won’t even complain that you pin all the misdeeds on me.”

As I stalled for time, my eyes scanned the chamber, searching for an exit, but there was none.

Phobos narrowed his eyes to violet slits. “You can no longer manipulate me, Cass. I don’t do fair fights. It’s beneath me. I’m a terror god for a reason!”

“We’ve planned this visit for a while,” Deimos said. “We got the key from our dear mother, the Goddess of Love. Yes, she’s full of love for us, so she handed over the spare key. After we beat you within an inch of your pathetic life, we’ll take the torque off you. You won’t be able to leave this realm. You’re trapped here until my father comes back and beats you again before he fucks you. How does that sound, little Cass? Believe me, you won’t be this cute in a few hours. And we’ll do it slowly, taking our time. As I said, we have the entire night.”

Phobos eyed his brother. “We might not want to do this slowly. Cass is the sneakiest, nastiest bitch I’ve ever met. She always has something up her sleeve. Let’s punish her, seek justice for me, finish my last therapy session, and get the hell out of here.”

“Don’t worry about it, brother,” Deimos assured him. “I’ll take care of it. I’ll take care of you.”

There wasn’t a chance I’d get out of here then. I jumped up and kicked Deimos in the face without giving him any warning. He took the hit and grabbed my leg, spinning me in the air.

And just like that, he had me.

Without my potent power, my kick didn’t even dent his enraged, handsome face.

He dragged me toward the center of the room, where chains awaited. 

With one last attempt, I clawed at the torque, desperate to pry it open.

It didn’t budge. 

In no time, despite my frantic kicks and punches and curses, the brothers strung me up, my feet dangling in the air, the heavy chains around my ankles clanging sharply.

When Deimos struck the first nail into the center of my left palm, I screamed in agony.

Phobos flinched.

“No, brother, you don’t cringe,” Deimos said. “You want her to scream. Let her scream for you, and you won’t ever scream again after waking up from a nightmare the little bitch caused you. This is a full therapy session for you. You’re the God of Terror. You strike terror into every living being’s heart, not the other way around. She stole your birth gift away from you. Now you take it back, along with your manhood!” He handed a long nail to Phobos. “Now you do it. Face your nightmare, brother.” 

Phobos held the nail and studied it.

“Are you going to beg, Cass?” asked the god of terror.

“Good question,” Deimos nodded in approval. “That’s the start.”

I clenched my jaw and promised myself that I wouldn’t scream again for these assholes.

A muscle under his left eye twitched as Phobos placed the nail in the center of my other palm and hammered into it while Deimos pinned me.

I didn’t scream, but tears that I had no control over streamed down my face at the debilitating pain. Blood poured from my palms, and I couldn’t regenerate while the torque bound my power.

“Tell her how you feel, brother,” Deimos urged.

“You’ll never hurt me again, Cass,” Phobos said. A crystal tear dropped out of the corner of his eye, and he wiped it off with the back of the same hand that struck the nail into my defenseless body. “I was once a courageous god, but you pumped terror into me and paralyzed me. I’m telling you now: no more! After I’m done with you, you psychopathic little whore, I’ll transfer the nightmare to you, and you’ll be the one to wake screaming.”

“Really, sugar doll?” I asked. “This is your last therapy session? It’s sweet, but it won’t work. You’ll always have nightmares, and I’ll be featured in them every fucking time. Do you know why?”

“Don’t take her bait,” Deimos said. “She’s trying to psych you out.”

“Why the heck is that?” Phobos asked. He couldn’t help it.

“Because you two are wrongly made,” I said with a vicious smile. “You dolls came out the wrong hole.”

Both brothers looked confused and frowned at me.

“You want the answer, don’t you, sugar dolls?” I said, wrinkling my nose. “You stink so badly because you filth came out of your momma’s asshole.”

Both enraged gods struck me with fear and terror, yet I took it all with a maniacal laugh.

What else could they do to me?

“Wait, you dolls didn’t know? It was your mommy’s fault.”

Then a large fist slammed into my face, breaking bone.