Villainous

Prolouge

I sat on the flimsy bed of my room in the orphanage. I didn't want to go back out of my room where the other kids called me a freak, a monster. They were the monsters. They were the ones who beat me black and blue, the ones who tormented me for my differences.

I held the hand held mirror in my hand so I could see my face. I looked mostly normal, my lips were full and pink and my face was an olive skin tone. But my eyes were like pools of melted gold and I had a scar that crossed over my lip.

I sighed, if those were my only differences maybe I'd be able to fit in. Plenty of kids in the orphanage had scars and my eyes could easily be concealed with contacts, if I could afford any.

But my most obvious differences were too hard to conceal, no matter how I tried. Just peaking over my shoulders I could see the fluffy black feather of my wings that's were each equivalent in length to the height of my own body. I weakly smiled at my reflection baring a fanged set of teeth that remained bleach white despite the lack of sanitation in this hell hole.

A scowl replaced my feeble attempt at a happy expression. I didn't belong here. Not just this room, or this stinking orphanage. I didn't belong amongst these people who looked up to the heroes like they were Gods and looked down upon people like me, the people who were too powerful to be contained, like they were rats.

There was a soft tap on my door and I quickly hid the mirror in my pillow, wiping all emotion from my face. "Tia? There's people here to see you" one of the women who ran the orphanage said as the opened the door slowly.

There where quiet words between the woman and the 'visitors' and I managed to hear that the people wanted to speak to me alone. I didn't quite hear if the woman agreed or not but when two men, a young adult and a boy roughly my age stepped into the room and the door creaked to a close behind them I could tell the woman had respected their wishes.

"Hello, Tia" the older of the two greeted, his pitch black eyes regarding me kindly "I am Hades, and this is Eros". The boy waved slightly but refused to make eye contact. I nodded in acknowledgement.

"Are you from the hospital?" I asked dryly "here to run more tests? Or rip out more feathers?". Painful memories stung in my mind reminding me of when the hospital sent scientists to study my mutations.

The boy Eros shook his head. "No, we're not". I observed them carefully and distrustfully. Hades seemed to look quite normal, with a nice black suit and hair combed neatly. Eros on the other hand wore a black jacket that was eleven sizes to big for him and his eyes were such a red colour they struck fear into my soul.

"Then what are you here for?" I asked cautiously.

Hades smiled, showing rows of pearly teeth. "We're here to bust you out of this prison" he announced and I nearly had a panic attack. There was a catch, there had to be a catch. Within my fifteen years of experience I had learnt that nothing this good came without a price.

"There's a catch though" Eros voiced my thoughts as he sat beside me adjusting his jacket to hide what ever was on his back "in order to leave you need to leave behind who you are now, most people change their name while a few change their hair". Eros mentioned to his vibrant red hair. I hesitated in agreeing with them, they were offering me the one wish I wanted for a good price too but caution still lingered.

"Why should I trust you?" I asked, my gaze wary. Eros and Hades shared a look in which they seemed to have a conversation entirely through stares.

"Because we're like you" Hades explained and Eros removed his jacket to reveal a pair of beautiful silky white wings protruding from his back. My eyes widened in awe and surprise before I turned to Hades. "What about you?" I asked as Eros put his jacket back on. Hades looked around at the small room. "It's best I not demonstrate my power here" he advised "I think the name itself let's on about my abilities".

I nodded remembering what I had learnt about Greek Mythology from the books in the tiny library downstairs.

"I agree to your terms" I announced "but there is one thing I must know, are you 'heroes'". Hades smirked and Eros did the same.

"Heroes are a bunch of baloney" the older dark haired boy chuckled "but if that's what you want to call them then no we are very much the opposite".

A grin tugged at my lips. "Good, then I will go with you" I agreed.

Eros smiled kindly and took my hand helping me to stand up from where I was seated on the bed. "So what name do you choose?" He asked as we made way to the door. I thought about how their names tied in with mythology and I looked down at my free hand that sparked with flames of excitement.

"Call me Hestia"