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his service.
 Okay, you ve lost me again. You said that gods can t maintain
their immortality on Earth, but this Protector guy can. My mates are
immortal. Something isn t adding up.
Helios linked his fingers together on the desk and sighed.  The
demons were forged, not born, and therefore retain no souls. Hades
has little use for the vessel in which a soul is housed. It is the soul
itself that is called to the Underworld.
 So, this Protector has no soul?
Reckoning 99
 Correct.
 Do gods have souls? I mean, if what you re saying is true, how
can gods be immortal? How am I immortal?
 You ask a lot of questions. The Titan didn t sound like that was
exactly a good thing, either. Then he shook his head and chuckled.
 You cast off your mortal shell when your life was taken. You are
now purely a soul. A soul cannot die. Hades can call you to the
Underworld, but he won t. Only the virtuous become daemons. Hades
has little use for the righteous.
 What about the gods?
 The gods are all powerful. We were not meant to live among
mortals. To live among humans is either a punishment or a choice.
Some gods may choose to give up their immortality to live life on
Earth. Others have been stripped of their immortality and banished
from Olympus.
 Well, I wasn t given a choice, so I guess that means I was
banished. Echo wasn t sure how he felt about the information.
Nothing about this conversation was helpful. He had more questions
than ever, and Helios s explanations left much to be desired. Maybe
he was being difficult, but he still didn t understand how living on
Earth would make a god mortal.
After several minutes of silence, Echo eventually waved his hand
around and huffed.  I don t understand any of this. I feel like you re
just talking in circles. Why don t you just tell me what you want and
let me go home?
 I want you to destroy the Protector.
 And who is that?
 You know him. Think, boy. Do you believe your mother would
send you to earth with no one to watch over you?
Echo s eyes widened, and he almost dropped the little ball in his
hand. He clutched it tight and brought it to his chest.  Who is he?
Helios looked at him across the desk, and Echo saw a great
sadness in the Titan s eyes.  His mother was the only woman that I
100 Gabrielle Evans
ever truly loved. She died many years ago as mortals do. He was all I
had left of her, but as a mortal, I could not bring him to Olympus. I
persuaded Zeus to grant him immortality in exchange for his soul and
allow him to protect the demi-gods.
 Wait. If Peter is your son, wouldn t that make him a demi-god as
well? If Peter was the son of Helios, and Helios was also Echo s dad,
then that meant&
Echo s stomach churned, and his heart did its best to crack his
sternum as it thundered inside his chest. The things he d done with
Peter slithered through his mind like a disease. It didn t matter that he
hadn t known at the time. Oh, gods, he was a sick freak.
 Peter is not my son not by blood anyway. I granted him powers
that no mortal should ever possess, but I did not father him. Helios
sounded as though the words hurt to say.
The relief that slammed into Echo, though, was so overpowering
that he slumped back in his chair and had to close his eyes for a
moment to regain some of his composure. Oh, thank the gods.
Before he could ask any more questions, Echo found himself
standing in the field behind his home. Part of him was grateful to be
away from the man who had fathered him. Another part of him was
hurt that the Titan obviously didn t want him. A tiny piece of him was
sorry he d ever met Helios.
Mostly, he was just happy to be home. He had so much to tell his
mates and prayed that Syx and Vapre could make heads or tails of it.
Running across the field, he bounded up the steps and hurried in
through the kitchen. He d only been gone an hour or so, but he missed
his men and knew they d be worried out of their minds if they
realized he was missing.
 Guys! Where is everyone? He tucked the glowing orb into his
pocket and started across the kitchen. He pulled up short, though,
when Fiero came barreling into the room.
Reckoning 101
Every ounce of blood drained for the warrior s face as he stared at
Echo. Then he dropped to his knees right there in the doorway and
began gasping for breath.
Rushing across the room, Echo knelt in front of his mate and
began stroking Fiero s cheeks.  Breathe, big guy, just breathe. The
other demons rushed into the kitchen and stood there, staring down at
Echo as though he d grown a second head.  What is wrong with you
guys? I realize that you were worried, but I wasn t gone that long.
Eyce fell to the floor beside Echo and crushed him to his heaving
chest. The rest gathered on the tiles with them, all wrapping their
arms around Echo, Eyce, and each other. They stayed that way for a
long time, all breathing heavily and not saying a word. Myst looked
like he was trying damn hard not to cry. Hex had a crazy look in his
eyes that scared the shit out of Echo.
 Guys, seriously, I was gone for an hour. I m sorry that you were
worried, but you re freaking me out.
Eyce s fingers gripped the back of Echo s neck and pulled him
into a kiss that could only be described as desperate. The kiss went on
forever, and when the warrior finally disengaged from Echo s lips, a
deep growl rumbled in his chest.  Where have you been?
 In a meeting, Echo said with a sly smirk.  I have a lot of stuff to
talk to you about. He reached up and stroked Eyce s cheek when the
man continued to growl.  I m perfectly fine, love.
 Echo?
Glancing up, Echo found Mac standing in the doorway with tears
streaming down his cheeks.  Hey, Mac.
 You re back, his friend breathed.  I didn t think I d ever see
you again.
Echo rolled his eyes.  What the hell has gotten into everyone? I [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]