From Titans (Book 4) (16 page)

“
You
can
’
t take Mason right now. I need time with him. Besides,
he
’
s
resting and I need to wean him off the drug. I
’
ll bring him tomorrow.
I
’
ll
let you know where. He
’
ll be ready for you, Cronus, I
swear it on Zeus.” She paused. “Okay, okay. I swear it on you,
Cronus. Zeus is still in charge of Olympus. You
’
ll have to overthrow
him or eat him or whatever you need to do.” She giggled.

I hated that laugh.

Their conversation must
have been over. Her voice was louder than before. “Mason,
I
’
m
back. Time to make you bigger. I
’
ll have my servants bathe you and
make you smell nice.”

My arms and legs were stiff and slow, but I
regained muscle coordination with time. Her helpers bathed me and
dressed me in jeans and a sweater, the clothes I wore when I was
taken, freshly laundered. Then they placed a long black cape around
me. Though I could stand on my own, my speech and movement were
sluggish.

“
He
’
s perfect.” Eris
walked in and circled around me. I felt like a display being
examined to be bought or sold. She moved strands of my hair this
way and that and then backed away. “Even better.
It
’
s
too bad I have to give you up. I would
’
ve loved to keep you
forever.”

“
Forever is way too long
with you.” My words came out slow and wearily.
“I
’
m
not your toy.”

She glared at me. “I think
I like you much better when you
’
re not talking.”

“
I like it much better
when you
’
re not here.” I wanted to stress the words to her, but it
came out so soft.

“
Mason. You
don
’
t mean that. After
all
I
’
ve done for you.” She caressed my
face and ran her hand down my chest. “So hard and so delicious.”
Her eyes grew lustful.

I tried to push her away, but my arms swung
in slow motion. She laughed and placed my hand on her chest, right
in her cleavage.

“
You make my heart race
faster, and your body gives me naughty thoughts. I could have you,
you know, but I want it of your own free will. I
’
m not
crazy.”

I wanted to wring her neck
and choke the life out of her. What the hell was she talking about,
she wasn
’
t crazy? After all she had done for me? Seriously? I would be
with my family if it wasn
’
t for her. I did what
I
’
d
been wanting to do to her since the second I got there.
Take this, bitch!

Eris flew across space and
collided with a chair next to the wall. If I could laugh out loud,
I would
’
ve. I
’
d summoned all the energy within
me and zapped her. She flattened on the floor. As she lay there, I
backed away, which wasn
’
t far. Only if my super speed
would return quickly.

Moaning, she pushed
herself up and gave me the evilest stare. “For that, Skylar will be
punished and so will you. And I have just the plan.
It
’
s
going to be so much fun.”

The thought of Sky gave me more strength,
enough to move my feet faster. My arms and legs tingled, and my
muscles twitched. The drug had just about worn off. My hope of
escaping came back. I just needed a few more minutes. I needed to
buy time.

“
I
’
m sorry, Eris.” I cringed at
my own words, but I had to make her believe me. “I have no control.
When I get excited, I shock people.” My words came to me faster,
but I purposely slowed the pace.

As she swayed her hips toward me, I had to
hold in my laugh. Her dress clung from the static electricity, and
parts of her dress continued to steam from the aftershock. Her hair
frizzed out like she had been struck by lightning. And she had…by
me.

“
Maybe we can have some
fun before it
’
s time for me to do what I need
to do?” She bit her lip, and her eyes twinkled with longing.
“Whatever you did, Mason, oh my…” She ran her hand down the middle
of her chest while her tongue glided across her bottom lip. “I felt
it. I felt your excitement.” Her tone came out way too seductive
and playful, which did nothing for me. It only sickened me, but
again, I had to play along.

“
I can do it again if
you
’
d like. You have no idea how much pleasure I can give you. It
will make you beg for more.”

She moaned while her hands roamed over her
body, caressing herself over her dress as if her hands were
mine.

My hands behind my back crackled, ready to
throw out more energy at her. “I will do whatever you say if you
tell me what you plan to do with me.”

Eris
’
s hands massaged my
shoulders and her lips grazed my chin. “It
’
s a big…”

I jerked when her tongue touched my
neck.

She narrowed her eyes
angrily and finished her sentence. “
Secret.
” Eris breathed out an
agitated breath. “I thought you were going to please me? Why
aren
’
t you touching me?”

“
Tell me
first.”

Her brows angled, and her lips gathered at
the center. “Skylar will never find you.”

That did it. Though I
didn
’
t have my full strength power back, it would be enough. I
gripped her neck and gave her all I had. She was lucky I only gave
her half of what I could produce because I was ready to kill
her.

Eris
’
s body shook and
lightning covered her body. She lit up like the inside of the light
bulb. When my energy consumed me to the point my own body trembled,
I let go and ran.

The wind whipped my face,
and I breathed in the fresh freedom air. I froze when I had no
sense of direction. I had no idea which way to go. The vibrant
colors of the flowers and countless apple trees surrounding me
caught my eyes first and then the large fountain. No road or any
clear exit existed. So I ran toward the path of trees lined up on
either side, hoping it would lead me out or at least to a portal.
Something, anything. As I ran, I couldn
’
t help but notice the beauty
of the road, so peaceful with no one around.

“
Mason!”

Her voice boomed over the whole land as if
on loudspeaker in my ear. Eris had awakened.

Crap! I ran faster, but the roads seemed to
get longer and longer.

“
Mason!”

She sounded closer, too close for
comfort.

I kept running. There seemed to be no
end.

“
Mason. I see you. You
can
’
t run away from me, silly. This is my world. I am a goddess,
and you are merely a puny descendant.”

My legs weakened too fast,
and my lungs ran out of air, but I had to keep moving. I
wasn
’
t going back to the prison, and I would not be
traded.

“
Mason.”

Her voice murmured right
beside me. After I glanced over my shoulder, I turned back when
there was no sight of her. Then, bam! I fell back and smacked the
ground.
I hit a tree? A wall? How?
Impossible.
I
’
d had a clear path. When I
peered up, a shape of a giant shoe came to view. I tilted my head
way back to see legs…then torso, arms, and a head. I cursed under
my breath. Two steel-blue eyes glowered down at me.

“
Cronus, I told you I
would bring Mason to you. What are you doing here?”
Eris barked.

Too busy assessing
Cronus
’
s face, I hadn
’
t realized Eris helped me up
until I saw her standing beside me.

Cronus?
I
’
d
read many myths about him. Some said his face was a mix of human
and beast. Others said he wasn
’
t as tall, as presumed, but
rather small. One myth said he wasn
’
t real. But he was real and
standing in front of me, massive as a mountain. If he had been
imprisoned by Zeus, how did he get out? How many Titans escaped? He
appeared nothing like I
’
d imagined he would. With dark
hair and the perfect facial structure of the gods, he was just a
good-looking giant, about three of me tall, with a normal
face.

“
Go!” she huffed.
“It
’
s not time.”

“
What
’
s wrong with your
hair?”
Cronus
boomed.

I had to cover my mouth to
keep from busting out in a laugh. Eris
’
s hair stuck out like she
had put her finger in a socket, fried and frizzy. She looked worse
than before. She could have passed as Medusa, only her snakes were
dead.

She scowled at me and
laced her fingers through her hair. “Nothing. It
’
s my new style.” She
didn
’
t want to admit I had zapped her and escaped.

“
You look crazy.” A
strange sound escaped his mouth. Was it a snort?

“
Stop calling me crazy.
Why does everyone call me crazy?” She stomped her feet.

Cronus furrowed his brow and growled. “Why
was he running?”

“
We were playing the cat
and mouse game.” She stifled a fake laugh. “If you
don
’
t do as I say, I
’
m not going to hold my end of the
bargain. If you don
’
t have Mason, you
won
’
t have Zeus.
”

“
I
’
m running out of patience.”
His foul breath brushed against me.

“
And I
’
m running out of mine.
I need him to show Zeus. I need proof. After you get rid of your
children, you
’
ll have the whole world to
conquer. Getting rid of your children will be the hardest part.
Humans are gullible and stupid. They can be easily taken. I will
bring chaos to the world, and then you and the other Titans can do
as you wish. Just make sure to keep Olympus in one piece. Is our
deal still on?”

“
As long as you keep your
word. Don
’
t do anything to make me upset,” he growled. “And where is
Rhea? You promised me her too.”

“
All in due time, my
Cronus. Everything has its time.”

I rose off the ground. “Put me down,” I
snapped. Cronus had picked me up by the back of my shirt.

He assessed me, studying
every inch of me. “He
’
s so little. He kind of looks
like Zeus.”

“
Of course he does.
He
’
s
one of Zeus
’
s descendants. Now, put him down.
I don
’
t want him to be harmed. He
’
s my favorite toy.”

I scowled at her.
I
’
m nobody
’
s toy.

With my shirt still pinched between the tips
of his fingers, my body swayed to the side when he let out a
breath. “Why would Zeus save this one? What does Mason mean to Zeus
when he has so many? I had many children, and not one stood out
from the rest. My children mean nothing to me. I can easily kill
them or create more.”

Eris shook her head. “The
reason we feel no loyalty to our parents. Zeus
doesn
’
t care about Mason. It
’
s Skylar that does.
I
’
ve
already explained it to you, moron.”