Page 2 of The Void

After she had run into Selene in her apartment complex and felt the woman’s power, she’d known instantly that their fates were intertwined So she’d invited Selene and Scott to her family’s home just outside of Atlanta in order to train for the doom that Selene warned was coming.

Her friendship with Selene and Scott had progressed quickly. They didn’t judge her, and early on she realized they weren’t going to use her either.

Then Selene’s brother showed up unexpectedly.

The first time she met Lucas Romano, aka the reincarnation of Helios, the sun god, he was nothing like she’d imaged after hearing Selene describe her brother. Instead of an ugly, dark sinister-looking villain, the man was more like a mysterious sexy god. He had been dressed in very expensive clothing and had his jet-black hair cut short around the sides and longer on top. His amber eyes were mesmerizing. Whenever he looked at her, she felt her insides shake with want.

When she’d stood in the kitchen that first night after he’d shown up at her parents’ place, she’d had a difficult time focusing.

“As I’ve mentioned to Selene, I’m in need of your assistance,” Lucas had said, his eyes moving to her once more. Since his arrival, he’d been trying to assess her. She’d instantly felt his power and wondered if he could feel hers. “What exactly are you?” he asked, finally.

“Your worst nightmare if you cause problems,” she’d blurted out. And she had meant it. She had instantly known she was more powerful than him. Since Selene had been unsure of Lucas’s intentions at that point, she’d wanted to make sure where he stood.

For the first time since Selene had shown her brother into the house, Lucas smiled. And when he did, Mia’s legs turned to jelly. Shit. This wasn’t good. There was no way just seeing a man smile should make her this weak.

“Interesting,” Lucas said slowly, turning away to give her a chance to recover.

For a few moments, they’d talked about Scott’s powers being hidden. Mia had always thought the man, who had lived in her building, was hiding something. Not once had she believed it was anything she needed to be aware of. Still, she’d watched him over the past year.

Mia was surprised when, to showcase his abilities, Lucas stood up from the barstool and turned into a large black dog right in front of them. It was so huge, its fur nearly touched the ceiling.

“Mia can do that too,” Selene broke in, and Lucas’s yellow dog eyes turned towards her.

“Show me,” Lucas, or rather the dog, said firmly.

Mia set down the mug of coffee she was holding, took a deep breath, and shifted into her dog form. She was much smaller than Lucas was and, to be honest, less scary looking. Standing next to him, she felt like a poodle comparing herself to a dire wolf.

They both stared at one another for a moment before turning back into themselves.

“Don’t your clothes get ripped off?” Scott had asked when they were done. Mia had wanted to laugh, but the truth was, the first time she’d shifted, she’d wondered about that too. It had been years before she realized why they didn’t. When she changed, whatever she was wearing or had on her changed too. Her clothes became fur. If she had a bag on, it became a collar. Scott cleared his throat. “I mean, you just shifted into furry dogs.”

“Hellhounds,” Lucas corrected.

“Seriously?” Mia practically barked back. “I’ve always thought of myself more as a dog,” she admitted with a smile.

The corner of Lucas’s lips curved up again, and she had to lean against the railing to steady herself.

“It takes three of us,” Lucas said to the room. “Now I know who the third is.” He nodded to her.

“So I am needed.” She smiled as she picked up the mug again.

“And Selene is our ticket to hell,” Lucas said.

“So, what? I’m just supposed to deliver the three of you to the Beyond,” Selene had asked, “and watch you wake up the devil?”

“Not the devil. Well, in a sense. I mean…” Lucas actually looked irritated or… embarrassed. “Yes, his name is Hades, but no, he’s not the devil in Western mythology or religion. Think of him as… the gatekeeper to the destruction of everything.”

“Then why wake him?” Scott had asked.

“Because there is a rip in the gates. A leak. One that only he can mend,” Lucas explained.

“Okay, so…” Mia leaned on the counter. “Hades is a good guy?”

“Yes and no. Once we wake him, we will need to get out of there quickly. Selene will deliver us three, we will wake him, then change into…” He motioned with his hands.

“Hellhounds,” Mia had supplied.

“And let Hades find and fix the leak,” Lucas explained.