Furious

Chapter Four

A/N: it's a long one. Strap in!

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Another question formed under my tongue, unasked.

Was this a game to him?

"What the hell does—" I made sarcastic finger quotes"—'New Hades' mean? What happened to the old one? And you know that in order for me to be a half-blooded anything, one of my parents had to be full-blooded, right? Newsflash: they are very much human. I may not be a doctor, but I'm pretty sure that's Genetics 101 for you. Human plus human equals tiny human, not half monster. My mother is from New Jersey and Dad was born in Arizona."

He was probably there now. He thrived in the desert—Mom always said there was sand in his blood—where my mother was a tried and true city girl. His genetic make up was one part hippie, one part aspiring-scientist, and two parts lone ranger. Their relationship had been all fire and passion and adventure. It didn't work out for them.

"Yes, I am quite familiar with genetics, I audited the class at Underworld University last fall," Hector smirked at me, finding himself funny.

"I'm human. My parents are human. My grandparents were human, for crying out loud. Give me my phone, there are a few people on speed dial who will corroborate." My confidence dropped ten points when I realized that, like a brainless fool, I left my phone on the bedside table when I snuck out of my window. Just like every run I went on, I had fully expected to return.

Okay, I really want to wake up now, I prayed to any powers-that-be who might be listening. Nothing happened.

My request for my cell phone went unacknowledged as well as my plea for wakefulness. "Just because your parents claim to be red-blooded mortals, destined to live like regular Americans, doesn't mean that they didn't originate in the Underworld. I know all of my Furies, and not only is your mother a full-blood, but your father carried the gene as well. By right of blood, you belong to me."

Every family its monsters but my parents didn't hold that title. Mom used to read me bedtime stories and brush my hair and when I was old enough to do those things by myself she proved her unconditional love for me even when we fought. There was Grandpa, who was more a father to me than my dad, and though he was probably an angel, he was a mere mortal like the rest of us.

Every Thanksgiving I visited Dad in Arizona and we went horseback riding in the desert. Grandpa taught me how to drive; Mom slipped love notes into my lunch every day; Dad always sent me the best, funniest, cheesiest birthday cards full of cash. I could trace my humanity back generations if I had to.

Just ask them, they'll tell you: my parents were normal, normal and divorced. And they were definitely human.

"Your parents were mated and used for breeding. Their purpose was to create you. They may not have known it, they may have mistaken Fate for love, but in the end they had a destiny and they fulfilled it. As you are going to do."

I jerked into a standing position and the chair tipped over behind me. "I'm not mating with you, if that's what you think. I don't believe your lies and I would never, ever, touch you."

The crazy in his personality was a real downer; in other circumstances, I would totally consider it.

"Calm down, Autumn, that's not—"

"I will not calm down!" I didn't care that I was shouting. Hope flared in my chest that someone, anyone, might hear me and come to help. "You kidnapped me for some unknown nefarious reason and then tried to convince me that I'm a product of monsters and fate. For all I know, the food was drugged. I'm going to fall asleep unsuspectingly and never, ever wake up again." How could I have been so stupid as to accept food from him, even in an attempt to get answers? Just by putting it in my mouth I might have killed myself." My voice had risen and I inhaled sharply to bring myself down a few notches. In a less hysterical tone, I asked, "It's not drugged, right?"