Night Predator

Cadmus appeared in the girl’s bedroom, invisible and watching for any ethereal movement indicating his brother Arkonel’s presence.  He knew he was relatively safe, because Cadmus had spied his brother talking with Hermes just moments earlier, and it had looked like they were deep in conversation.  If anything, Arkonel should have known that his job detail was a twenty-four hour surveillance job.  He was going to regret it.

Cadmus materialized and smiled in satisfaction as he hoisted the girl up on his shoulder, making sure she stayed asleep.  Yes, he was going to enjoy torturing his brother.  His younger brother, the favored one, the more powerful one.  Cadmus gently floated down the stairs, careful not to make a noise.  The girl had a mother, and he guessed that she had the same mortal mother instincts as any woman did – except his mother, of course.

Cadmus exited the house and relocked the front door, then took off to his warehouse, several states away. A few moments later, he arrived where one of his nymphs, dressed as a delivery boy, was waiting.

“If you wake her up, you’re fired.  When you put her in there, bind her and keep a close eye on her.  If she’s hungry, feed her.  If she has to go to the bathroom, let her use it, but keep her under lock and key otherwise.  Understand me?”

“Yes, sir.”  The nymph spoke and hoisted the unconscious girl onto its shoulder.  “When are you going to require her presence?”

“Any time after Arkonel realizes she is gone.  Just be waiting.”

Cadmus disappeared with that parting comment, making his way back to his Olympus home.  That had almost seemed too easy, and now it was time to wait.

“So you really think Nymphs are bad at sex?”  Arkonel asked Hermes with an amused stare, and Hermes nodded emphatically.

“Yes, because they have the desire, but they absolutely suck at staying focused unless you order them to do something.  And then they’re doing it because you’re ordering them to do it.  Basically, they have no creativity.”  Hermes said, rising from his seat.  “Its nearly five or six earth time – the sun is about to rise.  Shouldn’t you be going back to earth to greet your brand new immortal life mate?”

“Wow, we’ve really been talking that long, haven’t we?”  Arkonel was surprised.  Hermes and Arkonel had not caught up in several years, and they had spent the better part of the night exchanging women and mortal stories.  Hermes had always considered Arkonel his protégé, and it showed whenever they talked to each other – they had similar methods, similar habits, and similar results.  Though Hermes couldn’t get in trouble for what he did.  He was a full god, and Arkonel, a junior full god.  Semantics, all of it.

“Go on, be gone, you silly creature.  Love makes fools of us all, and you are no different.”  Hermes told his younger friend, laughing.

“Going, going gone.”  Arkonel said and disappeared from Olympus to reappear in Ari’s home, where he found her bedroom empty.  Confused, he went downstairs to see if she had woken already, to find her mom, drinking coffee.

“Where’s Ari?”  He asked her and she looked up, confused.

“I thought she was with you.”  Gena said, as if it made perfect sense.  Arkonel shook his head, no, and they exchanged worried glances.  They always knew where she was.

“I’ll go check the woods and the barn.”  Arkonel said.  “Can you check the garage and out front?  She has to be around somewhere.  She can’t just have…if my brother kidnapped her, he’s in for a surprise.

“Go.  She may have just gotten up early, realized that you weren’t here and I was sleeping, and took a walk.”  Gena said doubtfully.  “But she’s never not left a note before.”

“Gone.”  Arkonel said, disappearing and rapidly checking the woods for any presence of human life.  There was none.  He checked inside the barn with the same result.

Arkonel returned to the house and materialized just as Gena was returning from inside the garage.

“No sign of her in the back.”  Arkonel said, his anger rising.

“No sign of her in the garage, and her car is still in our driveway.  Do you think she’s okay?” Gena asked, worried, and Arkonel smiled reassuringly.

“She is fine, don’t worry.  Aphrodite turned her, and the sun has risen, so the change is complete.  The only thing that could have happened is that my asshole brother kidnapped her.  He doesn’t know about the change though, and he wouldn’t kill her until I’ve chased after him.  My guess is…” Arkonel sighed.  “That my brother was after the title that’s up for grabs if I ‘fail’ this job.”

“So she’s okay?  He can’t hurt her?”

“He can’t kill her.  I’ll have to go straighten this out with him.  I’ll bring her home by sunset, don’t worry.”  Arkonel shook his head, then reached over to hug Gena.

“Okay.  I trust you.  Gods know why.”

“It is absolutely hilarious to me that you use that expression in front of a god.”  Arkonel said before disappearing, leaving Gena with a smile on her face.
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