Feros and the Underworld Prince Read online

  (Yeah, what about dudes…? hint hint)

  I look down and see that I have been stripped to my boxers.

  “Correction: rule about requiring various states of undress for being locked in a cage.”

  Naia is five feet tall with tan skin, purple eyes, dark purple hair that reaches her lumbar, and breasts that must add quite a bit of strain to said lumbar; her breasts are probably the same size as Natasha’s, but they look much bigger on a frame that is several inches smaller. Now on to the less normal attributes: Her pupils are vertical slits, like a cat’s, and she has a purple devil’s tail that is about two feet long. She also has purple dragon wings sticking out of her back, which explains why she isn’t wearing a bra. I find her to be quite attractive, but her eyes are freaking me out a little.

  Is she a succubus? Because that would be awesome and it would totally give me an excuse to sleep with her without feeling guilty.

  “No Cheza, I still love you! I was just helping her; it’s not like she can fight her nature!” I’ll say when caught.

  (Planning to get caught before you’ve committed the crime is a fairly good indication that you shouldn’t do it to begin with)

  But before that, I have a few very important questions.

  “Well I can see you. Hey Naia, by chance do you remember how old you are, or what you are?” I ask while trying hard to keep my gaze from her breasts, but they just keep staring at me.

  (Are you forgetting that you possibly have a child?)

  Oh… right.

  “No, I do not.” Naia responds with a puzzled look on her face.

  “Don’t worry about it.” I say with a sigh and then my hearing picks up activity below me.

  “We have him shackled in the cage with the girl.” Ahriman says.

  “Good; I can use my magical gaze through the glass and th—” A voice that must be Apep says before being interrupted by a siren.

  “How can we have intruders!?” Ahriman shouts as I hear a loud smack.

  “I don’t know sir; I was careful when bringing him here and he didn’t have anyone with him. There shouldn’t be any way for them to find us!” Saquib quickly says in a panic.

  “COLE! JUST HOLD ON! WE’VE COME TO RESCUE YOU AND WE’LL HAVE THAT DILDO OUT OF YOUR ASS SOON!” I hear Jason shout from below me; I don’t even want to know what Jason is picturing my situation to be.

  “Naia, I need you to cut open my arms with your fingernails.” I say urgently and Naia does so without questioning it.

  I quickly form eight RMX explosive crystals in the shape of darts with five milliliters of blood on the inside of each. (4.2 Liters)

  “Alright, now wedge these darts in between links in each of the eight chains; then stand in the corner and plug your ears.” I instruct her.

  I engage my helmet while praying that it will be enough to keep my eardrums from perforating. When I’m sure that Naia is a safe distance away and plugging her ears, I detonate the RMX darts. It works like a charm and the chains fall from the wall, loosening the shackles and freeing my arms.

  Now that I’m free, I stand, walk over to the clear Plexiglas ‘door,’ and see the carnage below, as well as a sight that takes my breath away: Cheza, her beautiful silver hair tied back into a ponytail as she flaunts her curves in a skintight, one-piece, black leather suit. The enemy’s force is frozen with the exception of Ahriman; who is being engaged by Jason and Nahid using black mist/shadow powers to make black hands come out of the ground that try to grab Ahriman; and Apep, who is fighting Cheza. Apep’s lack of golden aura gives me hope for the situation, but also confuses me because Apep is supposed to be a god. Regardless, Cheza seems to be having some trouble fighting the giant fifty foot snake. I need to get down there to help her, so I start the draw for my Mu-cutter to cut through the Plexiglas.

  (That will not work; the Plexiglas is approximately forty inches thick)

  Since my Mu-cutter is only thirty-six inches long, I don’t have any means for getting out now. I beat my hand against the wall in frustration and watch as Cheza starts slowing down; no doubt the dozens of frozen vampires having taken their toll. Apep uses his tail to sweep out Cheza’s legs and she hits the ground. In my mind, I see Cheza getting to her feet as Apep’s hooded head comes down on top of her.

  No.

  I won’t fail again.

  I won’t lose Cheza.

  I feel my body switch to autopilot as I put my left hand against the Plexiglas.

  “I create nothing. I preserve nothing. I only erase.” I hear my voice say as it’s overlapped through the helmet.

  The wall suddenly turns into smoke and is blown away. I leap over the railing and down twenty feet to the floor below. I see Cheza on one knee as Apep’s teeth bear down on her. I flash forward and scoop Cheza up under my right arm as I pass, but I’m just not quick enough. I hear the crunch as Apep bites through the humerus of my left arm. I don’t know if it is my Drive that is blocking my pain or if I’m just a badass, but this doesn’t hurt all that much.

  “That was tasty… I’ve decided to just eat you instead of turning you into a slave!” Apep hisses after chewing and swallowing my arm; the chewing part seems very un-snakelike… and now I can’t cut my arm out of that asshole once I kill him. I guess I’m down to only one ring now too… for people who are missing their left arms, which finger do they put a ring on to symbolize that they’re married?

  I say nothing as I transmute my chewed arm into Octaazacubane. I snap my fingers and Apep’s head gets blown out of his ass. Chunks of snake rain down as I turn towards Ahriman; I don’t care if he is king of the Daeva, he is still only from a mid-tier pantheon so I shouldn’t have too much trouble.

  I start the draw for the Mu-cutter while Ahriman is distracted. Ahriman realizes that he is in over his head as the Mu-cutter connects. He makes a run for it, but I rush forward and slice through neck before he reaches the door. I proceed to quarter his headless body as a precaution.

  “Cole… your arm…” Cheza says from across the room with tears in her eyes. Control of my body is relinquished to me.

  “Tis but a scratch!” I say as my helmet retracts. 3

  “A SCRATCH!? YOUR ARM’S OFF!” Jason shouts while doing a perfect impression of King Arthur.

  “No it isn’t… I’m glad that you’re safe, Cheza.” I say as I walk towards her.

  Cheza sprints forward and hugs me in response. I suddenly hear crying that I realize isn’t coming from Cheza; I look over and see that it’s Jason who’s crying while sporting something else.

  “Why do you have an erection!?” I ask incredulously.

  “Because I’m happy?” Jason replies.

  I call bullshit as I realize that he has probably seen every single time Cheza and I have had sex, including the time I can’t remember because of the fairy alcohol.

  “Really!? It’s not that every time you see us, you’re reminded of us having sex!?” I shout.

  “IT CAN’T BE BOTH!?” Jason shouts back as I start to feel woozy.

  “NAIA!” I yell while struggling to remain conscious. Naia appears on the upper balcony, looking over the railing.

  “Cole! You are injured!” Naia exclaims as she expands her wings and glides down to our position.

  “Yeah, but I’ll be okay Naia… let’s get out of this place everybody.” I say as the pain from my arm starts to catch up to me.

  “Umm, Cole? Who are you talking to?” Nahid asks as everybody looks at me like I’m mentally unsound. They can’t see her…

  (Hold out your right hand; you’re welcome)

  I do so and watch as a black bangle forms in my hand before I give it to Naia.

  “Here, put this on.” I tell her and she does so without resistance.

  “WHOA!” Jason, Nahid, and Cheza exclaim. I’ll take that as affirmation that they can see her now.

  “This is Naia, she was in the cell with me and… she has amnesia… we’re taking her… with us.” I say as my vision darkens. I fall to the grou
nd just before consciousness slips my grasp.

  ****

  Chapter 10: Misunderstandings

  I find myself floating in darkness once again.

  “The west face is that which is used to create. The north face is used to preserve and heal. In combination, the capability to restore limbs is bestowed.” The overlapping voice echoes.

  “What, no rhyming?”

  ****

  [September 8th]

  “So what is your relationship with Cole?” I hear Cheza ask from my right side as I regain consciousness to a dull throbbing from the remains of my left arm.

  “Cole was the first…” Naia responds quietly, also from my right side.

  “What a coincidence, he was mine too.” Nahid responds from elsewhere in the room.

  “Same here.” Reyna says from the same direction as Nahid.

  “Eh…? Cole, you’d better hope that you don’t wake up.” Cheza maliciously whispers into my ear.

  Misunderstandings: Lack of context is crucial. I’m guessing that I’m the first person that could see her, to Naia; the first person that defeated her in combat, to Nahid; and I’m not entirely certain what Reyna is referring to… first guy to drink blood from?

  “But don’t worry; I’ve been using Jason for that lately.” Reyna adds, making me think that my guess was correct.

  I think the best possible thing I can do right now is feign sleep. The voice in my dream was obviously talking about a way for me to create a new arm, but I don’t really get it… Maybe Airi will be able to offer some assistance.

  “Hey Airi, can you help me make a new arm?”

  (It shall be done. Brace yourself as this will be painful)

  “AUGHHHH!” I scream.

  Wow, she really wasn’t kidding; it feels like I’m dipping what remains of my left arm into a vat of acid.

  “COLE! COLE WHAT’S WRONG!?” Cheza shouts over my agonized screaming as Reyna rushes out of the room. Naia and Cheza both look extremely concerned, but in their defense, it does sound like I’m dying. I also see that Naia is now clothed in a backless black dress.

  Pinga runs in about a minute later and surveys the situation.

  “Pinga! What’s going on!?” Cheza frantically asks over the sound of me screaming.

  “I’m not sure…” Pinga replies.

  (Twenty percent)

  “OH THANK GODS IT’S ALMOST OVER!” I scream.

  (Oh… If you are going to interpret it like that: eighty percent)

  “SON OF A BITCH! HOW IS THIS ONLY A FIFTH FINISHED!?” I scream.

  (Okay, I’m just going to knock you out for a bit because having you conscious is giving me a headache)

  …

  “Cole! Are you alright?” Cheza asks while gripping my right hand as I open my eyes. She and Naia are hovering over me while Nahid, Reyna, Pinga, and Jason are scattered about the room, most sitting on the black couch across the room

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” I say with a smile as I reach over and caress her cheek with my new left arm… it’s silver… I’m a little disappointed that it’s silver, but not all that surprised; this thing is going to be a bitch to hide from public eyes though. How is it bending when it seems to be made of silicon carbide? The entire room looks completely shell-shocked.

  “Damn bro; when you said that your arm wasn’t off, I thought you were just following the script!” Jason exclaims.

  “Hey Jason, go find something hard, like a concrete block or a slab of granite.” I tell him.

  “Just use the wall!” Jason says in an excited fashion that gives me the impression that he has an idea of what I’m about to do.

  I swing my legs out of the bed, stand, and walk over to the wall. Apparently somebody found my gear before we left because my jacket, pants, and holster are sitting in-between the bedside table and the wall. I keep my strength at human levels and I punch the obsidian wall; it’s as though the wall is made of inch-thick drywall.

  “YEAH! Fuck you walls! Who’s the bitch now!? Doesn’t feel so great being on the receiving end does it!?” I scream.

  “BRO! THAT WAS TOTALLY BADASS!” Jason shouts.

  “I KNOW RIGHT!? I would totally hack off my right arm just so I can have another one of these, if it weren’t for the shit tons of pain that comes with making a new one.” I say and then I notice five red dots that are along my radius and five more along my ulna… or at least where those bones used to be. I find a final dot on my palm.

  “Hey Airi, what are these?”

  (How else are you supposed to draw from your left arm?)

  “Nice thinking, Airi; thanks!”

  “Cole, how are you even able to move that? A material that is that hard shouldn’t be able to bend.” Pinga asks curiously.

  (The arm is filled with muscle tissue and is controlled by manipulating your blood. The joints behave in the same way as the plates in your jacket when they are in that semi-liquid state)

  “Think of it like a crustacean limb.” I answer. Like I’m going to tell Pinga the truth with Cheza standing right there; she already has too much control over my body as it is.

  (That was not necessary; Cheza is no longer connected to you like that)

  “What? Is there a way to reinstate the connection?”

  (Yes, all you need to do is transfer some of your blood into her and it will reconnect with the older blood)

  Well I guess that is something that we will have to do later; right now, I have a report to make.

  “By the way, I found out who is behind this whole mess, I think.” I say.

  “You did?” Reyna asks.

  “It was Set obviously.” Hel announces as she strides into the room.

  “Well there goes my surprise.” I mumble.

  “It became apparent once Jason mentioned Apep. I relayed the information to Osiris and Isis; apparently Horus has already taken care of it. By the way, Jason also mentioned that you lost your arm fighting Apep.” Hel says.

  “Yeah, my left arm got caught when I kept Cheza from being eaten, but I grew a new one… speaking of which, Cheza, why are you here and not with our child?” I inquire.

  “Perhaps we should give you two some alone time.” Jason says and hustles everyone out of the room.

  “To answer your first question, Pinga brought me here to help find you through our connection, but that didn’t work. Luckily, Nahid was able to give us the answer as to your whereabouts because she’d had someone tailing the traitor that took you for the past few days. As for your second question, what are you talking about?” Cheza asks.

  “When I had amnesia, I had this reoccurring dream of a tan baby with brown hair and hazel eyes that was being played with by my favorite silver haired iroboke neko.” I tell her.

  “Horny dog? When did Cheza dress up as a dog?” I hear Jason say from the hall.

  “WHY DOES IT NOT SURPRISE ME THAT YOU KNOW THE JAPANESE WORD FOR HORNY BUT NOT THE ONE FOR CAT?” I shout.

  “I thought cat was nyan?” Jason says as he peaks his head around the corner.

  “That’s the sound that cats make.” I clarify.

  “No, meow is the sound that cats make.” Jason retorts in a tone of voice that implies that I’m the stupid one.

  “Nyan is the Japanese onomatopoeia for a cat meowing.” I inform him.

  “Oh… then you probably should have gone with ecchi koneko if you were trying to say sex kitten.” Jason says and then shuts the door.

  I’m not going to say anything about how he knew the word for kitten, but not the one for cat… although, I bet if I were to ask him what kitten is in Japanese, he would probably have no clue without a sexual context.

  “Cole, that isn’t your child.” Cheza says.

  If a head could explode from mixed-feelings, then mine would cause an explosion on par with a supernova. The good news is that I don’t have a kid. The bad news is Cheza had a child with someone who isn’t me.

  (Not to mention that the baby was more than six months old and you’ve
only been gone for fifteen)

  My chest tightens and I start seeing stars. I’m not even aware that Cheza is saying something to me until she starts shaking me.

  “COLE! BREATHE!” Cheza shouts as she smacks me. “The baby isn’t mine either; it’s Katie’s sister’s son that I used to occasionally babysit!”

  “Oh, thank gods! For a moment there I was thinking that you had a baby with another guy and that there was a possibility that you had cheated on me because that baby is too old to have been conceived after my death!” I respond while semi-chuckling. Cheza gives me this look that makes my ass cheeks tighten involuntarily.

  “Yes… about that… do you ever consider that feeling when you are the one doing the cheating?” Cheza says with a terse tone.

  “WITH THREE DIFFERENT WOMEN!?” Cheza screams. “One of which I’m positive that you met only after you had regained your memories.”

  “Cheza, I never cheated on you with those women!” I defend; is it just me, or was my intonation a little off there?

  “What do you mean those?” Cheza asks with a very homicidal looking gleam in her eyes.

  Shit. The end is nigh for Cole Treyfair.

  “In my defense, I had no idea who you were and I was sharing a bed with Kita.” I explain.

  “Well I guess that I can’t be too mad when I slept with five other guys, but in my defense, you were dead!” Cheza says with a slight amount of hysteria. I’m not too sure how I feel about that…

  (Master, you are missing the most important detail! Was it five guys at the same time?)

  I feel my face fall; I’m not sure if this is a question I want to know the answer to, but I’m asking it anyway.

  “At the same time?” I ask while I avoid looking at her face.

  “ASS!” Cheza screams as she slaps me. “What, do you think I became a giant whore while you were gone!?”

  For some reason, the first thing that pops into my head is a fifty foot tall naked Cheza… the second thing is a whorish Cheza that caters specifically to giants… Cheza’s right though; I am being an ass. I should apologize…

  (All of them. At the same time. And the bedpost too)

  “Well I think that it’s a possibility!” I exclaim.