God of Darkness

11

Xena was the first to mention something about my improved mood. Girls must notice things quicker than us guys because had I not had Xena around, Drake would have had no idea I was "smitten."

"Who is she?" Xena wiggled her eyebrows while trying to get the words from my mouth.

"Who?" I pretended to play innocent as Drake chuckled.

"Don't play dumb Ember," she placed her hands on her hips.

"Violence won't get me to say," I chuckled as her hair glowed a brighter red. She was definitely her father's child.

"Is she human?" Drake asked, trying to sound practical.

"Yes,"

They both waited for me to say more but I felt the urge to not say anything about her. It was like a secret I wanted to keep safe and only know about.

"Can we at least know her name or what she looks like?" Xena pressed gently.

"Amanda," I relinquished her name as both of them whooped and began making combinations of our names, much to my distaste.

"How about.... Emba?" Xena giggled.

"Amber obviously," Drake rolled his eyes as Xena shrieked in delight.

"That's also a girls name," I reminded them as they ignored me.

"When can we meet her? More importantly, have you told her you're not completely human?"

"Soon," I said to answer both questions. "I'm just unsure of how to go about it."

"Maybe wait until your powers kick in? So you can prove it?"

"He has other ways to prove it," Xena pointed out, "or just show her your mom. It wouldn't take long for her to believe then."

"I don't know... She believes pretty strongly in her religion. I feel like that would rock her entirely and make her question everything she's ever known."

"But by not telling her you're allowing her to continue in this fantasy of hers that she believes to be real," Drake pointed out.

"God you sound just like your mom," Xena pouted but looked at me. "He does have a point though."

"When the time is right, I will tell her. For now, I don't even know if this is like official or anything yet."

"I'm willing to bet it is with the look you have on your face," Xena winked at me.

I blushed and ducked my face towards the ground as I tried to think of a comeback.

"I wouldn't be able to show her this though," I murmured as the two became silent.

"We can always come down and meet her... but I see your point. I'm sure we can find some way for her to see what it looks like," Xena looked hopeful as Drake shared me a sympathetic look.

I appreciated their concern and their help... but it just wasn't going to go the way I planned. I really did want them to know about Amanda and for her to be okay with my secret... but who was I kidding.... it probably wouldn't work. Even though my mom was able to make it work, I'm sure Aphrodite had a lot to do with that... why would she help a young fifteen year old boy or whatever who had no idea how to make friends?

"Ember," Drake began as he noticed I was starting to overthink things. "Just breathe, it'll turn out in whatever way is best okay? If we can't meet her, then we can't meet her... we'll just watch from Olympus and you'll just have to be okay with that."

I groaned as Xena wriggled her eyebrows, "ooh! Ember and Amanda sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"How old are you again?" I shot at Xena in the nicest yet fully sarcastic way possible. She could not be serious right now.

Xena rolled her eyes, "why should it bother you? We all know you kissed!"

I scratched the back of my neck and murmured something about going back home to feed Nanuk as the two chuckled and said goodbye. As great of friends as they were, there was no way I would ever be able to get anything past them... especially when it came to a girl.

Walking up to my door, I noticed out of the corner of my eye a flash of blonde appear. Turning quickly, I saw Amanda walking down the street and she stopped to wave shyly.

"Want to come in?" I called to her from across the street.

"I have to get home! But I'll call you or something?"

"Sure," I smiled sheepishly as she continued walking and I let my gaze linger on her. Surely there was an explanation for a human girl to take my breath away...

I chuckled at the thought of her being a Demi-God like me and just too nervous to come clean. Though I highly doubted that assumption, you could usually tell who was human and who wasn't.

When I walked in my mom and dad were talking in the other room quietly. Since my hearing was better than a humans I heard the mention of my grandpa and frowned. Why would Hades be visiting? Maybe he was wanting to still bring me towards ruling his Underworld one day... The thought would've been appealing a couple of days ago, but now that I had met Amanda... The Gods only knew how that would go.

Laying down, I clenched my fists for a moment as I tried to calm down whatever anger was suddenly stirring inside of me. What the hell? I've been having a good day so far and now I'm pissed for no reason.

I glanced at my hands and noticed they began to slightly burn and take on an orange fiery tint.

"Mom?" I called out as I kicked open the door and felt my hands begin to burn even more.

"What is it Ember?"

I tried not to chuckle at my name and how ironic it was, "I think I found my powers."

Both of my parents popped their heads out to have their eyes widen when the fire was consuming my arms but not burning me.

"I see," my mom cleared her throat. It seemed she was at a loss for words, that never happened.

"I... How do I turn it off?"

"Your emotions dear," she replied gently as I took a few deep breaths and watched the fire slowly die out. Everything was untouched on my body, the only thing was the faint smell of smoke around me, but it was like I had never been on fire to begin with.

"I guess we need to inform the others," my dad touched my mom's shoulder.

"Yes," she looked at me with an unreadable expression.

'I wonder what Xena and Drake will think?' I thought while trying not to freak that Amanda will really think I'm a freak. How do I tell her...

"Fire may not be your only power Ember," my mother began gently. "I can still create fire even if it's not my main purpose. But you'll know soon enough." She smiled sympathetically before retreating to inform the others.

"Great," I murmured and just stared at my hands again. Would there ever be a right time to mention my powers or real life to a human? Probably not.