Just a Kiss Goodnight

Just a Kiss Goodnight (25)

Zeke’s P.O.V

I’d show all of them. 

I’d show them all that I didn’t need a happy family to be brilliant, powerful and in control. I didn’t need stupid on-to-one lessons with Hades to be all that I could be like Zoe did. I’d take it all. I’d take Olympus without family and friends by my side. They only make you weaker and hold you back by supposedly ‘worrying’ about you and trying to keep you in their control. I’d show them all just how strong an abandoned Demi-God could be.

I took a deep breath, bitterness rising into the centre of my being as the familiar feeling of dark power filled my stomach. It was like a drug – the power- it made my head spin and made every other care of mine melt away into the darkness in seconds; all that mattered was my goal and the power that would allow me to get there. I remembered the look of terror that had plagued my father’s eyes when he smelt death on me, his own scent striking fear into him by my doing, and I smiled for the first time in days. I was the Lord of the Dead now. I could make things wither away and die painfully and slowly and then raise the dead to do my bidding, they were mine to command now, not his. And I was the one surviving from the fear they caused. Around my feet came the sound of the earth splitting and allowing the army of the dead I had summoned to surface, their bones cracking together loudly and echoing in the cavern beneath me, the stench of death hit my nose but rather than repulsing me like it would anyone else, the smell felt welcoming and made me feel like I belonged. It made sense that the dead would make me feel welcome… they only had me to serve, only me to relate to and they didn’t care about friends or family, only carrying out the jobs I had for them.

“My Lord…” Those two words echoed around me, sending a shiver of pleasure down my spine. These were my pawns in the upcoming battle; they were mine to control not his. I was the new Lord of the Dead. I felt each one of the bone soldiers fears empower my body, their nightmares electrified my senses and their worthless tears that they shed while they lived fuelled the cruel smirk that graced my lips.

“Find Georgiana Livingston, daughter of Zeus and bring her to me!” I called across the crowd of cracking skeletons, power amplifying my voice. “Find her, don’t be gentle with her and let this war begin!”

My cracking servants went away, their bones creating a deafening roar when they moved. As their ocean of noise faded away, only one spirit hung around in the air in front of me. It floated inches above the ground and gave off an eerie grey glow. “Yes, Spirit?” I sighed as I turned away from it, gazing across the forestry in front of me.

“Zeke, I beg you not to do this.” It pleaded; her voice felt like ice against my burning rage. “Think of your sister and friends!”

I hung my head and pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to control my temper. “Mother, I do not need your advice, like I have told you every time you have come to me when I have not called for you. Why do you insist upon coming to me every time I call the dead? Stop coming to be when I do not call you.” I sighed. 

“I have to come when called, Zeke. Your bitterness calls out for love, for my love whenever you call those wretched things to you aid, you need my love Zeke, just let go and accept it.” Her voice sounded sad and for some reason it hurt me to hear it.

I turned to face her and looked into her sparkling transparent eyes. The truth in her words bothered me greatly but I wouldn’t give in like Zoe and Georgiana had to everyone else. It would make me weak like them and I wasn’t willing to lose this battle because of some far-fetched emotion that I was feeling. Zoe’s ridiculous loyalty to my father had made her weak and meant that she could never let her power control her like mine did to me, her loyalty and pathetic love held her back and stopped her from being as great as she could be.