Godtown

Chapter Forty-Two

Every god's dwelling is different. Some are smaller than you'd expect. I know mine is. But some are far larger and far grander than you could imagine fitting into a penthouse apartment.

When you enter the home of Aphrodite, it feels warm and sunny, even if it's in the middle of one of Zeus' infamous rainstorms. It feels like summer year-round, with residual warmth brewing in the air from every angle. The colors of the many-bedroom house are brown and tan, with enough yellow to put the sun out of business. But too much heat is never is a good thing.

"You should have made an appointment, dear," Aphrodite stood in the center of the room, wearing a split-neck blouse with frayed sleeves and tight white capri pants leading to her adequately tanned and toned legs.

"You don't seem too surprised to see us," I said. I can feel Hilda filing in behind me.

"Of course not. My son called the second you left," she tossed back her light caramel-colored hair. It was platinum blond by the time it reached her shoulders. "That's what family is for, after all."

"Well, I'm glad he had one parent looking out for him," I said. "Speaking of which, is Ares here?"

"You know what?" Aphrodite said, looking away from a moment. "You just missed him."

"Pity," I said.

"You need to put a stop to this now, Hades," I didn't see Aphrodite move. Rather, she just appeared at the table, cutting a pear. "All this carrying on. It's unbecoming, even for you."

She kept talking. I walked gingerly towards the table, but I didn't stop. I kept going. The goddess of love loved to monologue. "This doesn't concern you . . . what are you now? My uncle? My grand-uncle? Our family tree is so confusing at times."

"That didn't stop you and Ares from screwing like rabbits," I said distastefully.

"Ugh. Who knew the god of the underworld was so . . . what's the word . . . conservative," Aphrodite said. "All this pouting for business that doesn't concern you."

"Speaking of unbecoming," I said, and with a swift kick of my foot, I knocked over her waste can. A dozen half-chewed apples glittering with gold scattered onto the floor. "At least I know where Cupid gets it."

"Nervous about something?" Hilda asked. Aphrodite tossed her hair, now fiery crimson, over her shoulder and cast Hilda an uncertain glance.

"Hmmm," she said after a minute before turning back to me.

"It's tough. Being a wife to a cold, distant father like Hephaestus. He won't even look at our son." Aphrodite continued.

"The fact that you screwed his brother might have something to do with it," I said. "Where is it?"

"I don't know what you're going on about now. I'm just trying to explain my difficult circumstances to you, not the least of which is the calories in this ambrosia," she looked to Hilda and smiled. "We can't all be so lucky."

Aphrodite stood several inches smaller than Hilda, but I had a feeling that was more by choice than by design. Aphrodite was smaller than everyone. Hilda had twenty, maybe thirty pounds on Aphrodite, depending on how slim the goddess of love and beauty wanted to be. Aphrodite didn't realize it was mostly muscle until Hilda's fist collided with Aphrodite's face so hard, I thought Aphrodite's nose might fall off.

Aphrodite recovered from the blow untarnished, but her eyes flashed with anger. I blinked, my first mistake, but by the time I reached for my revolver, my second mistake, Aphrodite's hands were already on Hilda's neck. I froze, unable to do anything.

"You forget your place, Valkyrie," She said. Hilda seemed little fazed by the goddess posed to snap her neck.

"And you forget your footing," Hilda said. Her knife hovered at Aphrodite's chest. Aphrodite didn't relinquish her grip.

"You can't kill me," Aphrodite said, but it was spoken more like a question, albeit a rhetorical question. Hilda kept moving. She didn't speak. She simply kept her eyes gazed at Aphrodite, her posture level, with a slight smirk curling her lips. 

They say love conquers all, but love clearly couldn't conquer an angry Valkyrie with murderous intent. 

Aphrodite stumbled back in response. Then she dropped her arms. "Far-right cabinet. Last drawer. There's a false bottom."

Hilda motioned to me. I opened the drawer and looked inside to see a long-barreled gun covered in white clothes. I removed the entire drawer and put it under my arm.

"We're good," I said. "It's here."

Hilda held the knife in place for a second more. She looked Aphrodite up and down and said. "Less makeup, more food. It won't kill you."

Hilda retracted the knife and walked away.

"You'd be surprised," Aphrodite growled.

"Hades," she called to me. "There will be consequences for your actions. You'll pay the price for this treason."

"Put it on my tab," I said, closing the door behind.