Chapter Three
“Thank you for the wonderful meal. It was perfection as usual,” Ares told the men that were gathered round.
“As you know, we were here for more than just your cooking,” Dion stated. “The Descendant that I’ve been watching over is in trouble. She was almost snatched a couple of times. She’s high-profile, and I think that’s the only reason she hasn’t been taken before now. She’s the descendant of Aphrodite and will need protection around the clock when she goes back to Hollywood for the final filming of the movie she’s in.”
“I’m assuming that you want us to watch over her?” Gareth asked. “Though high-profile isn’t exactly something we’ve taken on as of yet. We’re always up for new challenges, even if it is in Tinseltown.”
“Yes, at least four of you. Two for the daytime and two for at night. Make sure that they are the ones that you will be able to spare for the next two months, perhaps less, but no longer. They will need to be versatile and able to blend in with a crowd as well.”
“We don’t split the team up,” Mikhail said. “At least not without all hell breaking loose. We work together for a reason, and it’s because we each bring a particular skill to the table. It might never be needed, but it’s better to have available than left at home. So give us a damn good reason to send only four on this job.”
“Because you will need the other eight here. Trouble is going to come to your doorstep. We don’t know exactly what sort yet, but there is trouble coming. You will be needed here while the four going will be required there for her. The four single men need to go.”
“Well that at least lets us off the hook of picking straws,” James said. “Though sending the singles makes sense, especially if she’s one of the Descendants like he’s suggesting. I don’t like the idea of us splitting up either, but if something is coming our way, no way in hell am I leaving Kasper here without us. No offense, babe, I know you’re damn handy with that rifle, but that’s one gun against apparently not even the gods know what.”
“I agree,” Kasper said simply.
“She is one of the Descendants. She’s also just broken up from an engagement. The man she was engaged to was one of Hades’s acolytes. He was dangerous, and she’d cut off all communication with him. It pissed him off all the more. He was unsalvageable, and in fact he has been killed by Hades’s other acolytes for failing.”
“Good to know,” Stefan muttered. “Well, at least we’ll see some action. We’ll need all the information of course, plus the locations we’ll be at on this trip, and the woman as well. Anything and everything, per the usual. Might as well start studying up on this. When do we start?”
“The full files will be in your inboxes, all of the scans of the threats against her as well as the images of the men who have all been part of some sort of plot to kidnap her. Although wouldn’t it be woman-nap?” Dion’s voice seemed as if he were bored instead of talking about a woman that he helped to raise.
“Complete dossiers will be available to you all. If you need anything, just ask, and we will try to get it to you. You all understand that we aren’t able to give the whole ball of wax away, but we will try to give you enough to make a candle,” Ares said, proud of himself for the references he was making.
All the people at the table stared at him for a long, very uncomfortable moment before they began to talk among themselves. “We’ll need to get you out there as early as we can so that you can get a feel for the place,” Mik said. “The jet will have to come right back here in case we need it for whatever reason.”
“We should also go over the areas she’ll be residing in, and working to cover all the bases. Without the additional manpower you guys will have to be on your game fully,” Gareth commented. “It would be helpful to have a god on standby in the case of an emergency if they happen to need backup from this end temporarily.”
“Well, good ole cousin Dion will be there with her. I travel with her everywhere. So get used to me.” Dion all but preened. “I adore that girl, so whoever is hers had better be damn thankful that she’s theirs. She’s an amazing being. The only trouble is…” He looked to Ares.
Ares sighed and said, “The trouble is that she is love.”
The four men shared a look, one even a god couldn’t translate. Whatever it was had them all nodding. “Won’t be an issue,” Lincoln said quietly. “Though the peacock,” he jerked his thumb in Dion’s direction, “we could likely do without. Might as well pin a bullseye to her back now and be done with it.”
“I will have you know that I’m far more than a peacock.” The look on Dion’s face was one of offended indignation. “I have battled alongside my brothers many times. Just because I see the finer things in life does not make me a waste of space, understand?”
“Methinks the peacock doth protest a bit too much,” Thomas commented. “I’m wracking my brain trying to recall history. Got Ares, Apollo, Artemis, Zeus, and numerous others with copious notes of their battle prowess. Not recalling any for Dionysus. Lincoln, remind me to do a search on that later so if I’m incorrect I can apologize.”
“So noted.”
“I am so fabulous that each year New Orleans breaks out in a party for me. Mardi Gras was created by me, for me and all my glory.”
Ares was laughing. “Not helping yourself, D. Not at all. You are actually digging the hole a bit deeper.”
“Well, Brook loves me for who I am and knows that I would do anything to protect her.”
“Now that I actually believe,” Antonio said. “First thing out of your mouth I’ve actually bought. Besides the Mardi Gras bit. Hell, even I knew that one, and Ares was right. It really doesn’t help your cause, nor bolster your rep, to be using that as a promotional piece. I’d be looking for some new material if I were you.”
“You will be damn happy to have me there when the chips are down,” Dion said with a shrug. “For now, I need to get back to Brooklyn. I hate that she’s alone again. Her bodyguards come and go on four-hour shifts, and I like to be there during shift change to ensure nothing funny happens. Until later.” He waved and left.
Ares sighed and shook his head. “Don’t let him fool you. He really does care for Brooklyn and would do anything at all for her. He’s good to have in your corner as well. He seems flamboyant and as if he would run at the first sign of trouble, but he wouldn’t. Not with her life on the line.”
“We know that,” Mikhail said. “Like you, we like to know who we’re working with. Owen can find anything he sets his mind to with enough time. He’s done a lot of digging into lost texts and tablets. It’s truly amazing what folks will put on the Net these days.”
“While he definitely doesn’t have the rep of some at this dinner table,” Owen said with a grin at Ares. The god tipped his head with a smirk. “Dionysus does have his own bag of tricks he can pull out when required. For the most part, the partying playboy routine is an act. Well, except for that one century that seems a little blurry from all reports. Personally, I think if they hadn’t all been indulging so much we’d know more, but that’s a different story. You guys can trust him. He’s solid. Unfortunately, you’ll have to put up with the frat boy attitude as well for most of the trip, as it seems to be his go-to defense mechanism.”
“Fucking fantastic,” Stefan muttered.
“On the bright side, you get to meet and protect Brooklyn Anderson.” Ares saw the looks on the men’s faces and smiled. “Told you she was a high-profile target. And the way that he acted here, he doesn’t do that around her. Too much. He’s her manager and takes care of her. And two of you will have him hanging around you for the rest of your time on Earth. Aren’t you the lucky bastards?” Ares had to keep from laughing as he said that last bit.
“Pretty easy gig since we all have to put up with you hanging around,” Antonio pointed out. “Not a one of them takes shit from you,” he pointed down the table toward Mik, Camilla, and Gareth.
“Makes it easy when they are bound by certain rules here in this realm,” Mik said. “That and they know we can cut them off from dinners around here at any moment if they piss us off too much. It’s amazing how quickly they fall into line when their stomachs are in charge of decisions.”
“There was once a time when you would have been killed for talking to me like that,” Ares muttered, but with a grin. “But those times are gone, and this is Ares 2.0 you are dealing with now. I’m a lot more mellow.”
There were a couple of coughs, and definitely more than a few snorts of derision around the table at his words. “Uh-huh,” Dieter said with a grin. “I think you would have had Mik as one of your generals personally. He’s got the same bad attitude as you do, and without coffee in the morning is more destructive than you could be.”
“Ah, yes coffee. It is a spectacular thing. Imagine once upon a time people didn’t have coffee. It really was a sad time.” Ares shook his head and shrugged. “And how do you know that I haven’t had you all in my armies before? There are many lives on the wheel of life for humans. Don’t forget that fact, my friends.”
“Maybe that’s why we’re all so mouthy with him,” Wyatt said. “We’ve had to put up with him more than once already. It actually clears up a lot of issues when you consider the possibility.”
“Oddly enough, it does,” Gareth agreed. “Though given what a prick he was back then I have the funny feeling we didn’t fare so well.”
“Probably revolted for there not being any fucking coffee,” Mik mumbled.
Ares just laughed. “I’m not telling you boys anything.” He held his hands up and leaned back slightly. “Now, I do believe that I have other things to attend to. I will see you all later. Check your e-mails. The information is all in there for you guys. Oh, and she has her own jet if you need to go from point A to point B as well.”
“Good to know we won’t be stranding you guys out in the land of fantasies,” Wyatt said. “Though you might enjoy it. Hopefully not too much that you forget to eventually get your asses all home so we can kick Hades where it means the most.”
“I wouldn’t worry about that, bro,” Thomas said. “We’ll be back. We still have work to do, and while it will be a nice vacation, it’s not home.”
“Oh, and so that you guys all know.” Ares leaned in once more. “Brooklyn hates what she does now. At first, she loved it, but now she hates what she does. She’s found that Hollywood isn’t at all like she had assumed. This is her last production. Two of you are going to want to talk her into coming home with you, so I’m just making sure that you know she’s ready for the change.”
“Thanks for that tidbit,” Stefan said with a nod. “We should head out first thing in the morning. Better get onto the homework before we need to leave.”
“This doesn’t get you out of doing dishes,” Gareth said. “Nice try, though,” he added with a grin. Chuckling, he got up from his seat and gave Camilla a hand up. “Come on, love. Let’s go see if we can find a movie we won’t watch all the way through.”
“I love how you think.” Camilla moved to Ares and gave him a hug and kiss on his cheek and then skipped off with Gareth.
Ares shook his head and just smiled. “I’m glad she’s so happy. Now, dishes need to be done, and I’m not doing them. So until later, gents and ladies.” He stood and bowed. “Be good,” he said and then was gone.