Hunter: Cursed

Chapter Twenty-Three

"So, how much trouble are you getting us in?" Penny asked nervously.

"You only get in trouble if you get caught. We won't get caught." I assured her.

The snort of disbelief that followed only made me roll my eyes and we did a circle around the ruins of what had once been a temple for Zeus. I figured if you're going to try something, you may as well start at the top and the big guy was top of the top from what I'd read. All that remained now though was a bunch of pillars and Alfie inspected those around us as if he was reading a dictionary.

"What do we do if someone see's us? There is like a main road over there."

"Disappear, it's why Alfie is here!" I give him a pat and he nods, before going back to inspecting old stone. "If I'm being watched, just like last time, they're going to know I'm here."

"Why did I agree to this?" She groaned, taking a seat on the grass beside on the pillars. "There isn't anything here Elise. It's just, old ruins and grass that needs to be cut. You'd think they would have hired a gardener or something!"

"If nothing else, these lights make your hair look awesome."

Instantly she smiled and ran her fingers through her ponytail. The lights set up around the site had an orange tint to them and her red hair looked as if it was on fire. "Yeah, I was thinking that too."

I took a seat beside her and waited for Alfie to join us before I wondered if Penny had a point. Had I just got lucky last time?

"Um, Zeus? Your almightyness? You here, at all? Anyone?" I called out.

Nothing.

"Maybe they don't like you." Penny helpfully suggested, before mumbling under her breath. "No idea why!"

Before I could answer Alfie was suddenly on alert, his body encircling us as he rose up ready to strike. Penny instantly pulled out her gun, while I held onto my sword in anticipation of what was to come. The lights all flickered, before shutting off and the silver wedge of the moon was all we had to see by. In the distance, lightning flashed over the mountains and in the blink of an eye, the storm had moved so it was practically on top of us. Totally normal, right?

"Ah, Elise-" Penny's hand grabbed onto my forearm as Alfie hissed before looking down to me. His question was obvious - stay or go? "Is that, someone is here!"

Penny was right. A large shadow of a figure stood at the other end of the pillars and as lightning tore apart the sky, it vanished - only reappearing in the darkness. That's just, great. Well, it's what we had come here for and putting a hand on Alfie, I stepped outside of his protection.

"Who are you, show yourself!" I demanded.

More lightning, and the shadow disappeared only this time it was gone completely. Cautiously, I started to move forward and since Alfie kept close behind me, Penny had no choice other than to follow too. As thunder rumbled overhead, I was positive there was underlying sounds of laughter and closing my eyes, I listened closer; trying to get a feel for the area around us. We were definitely not alone and as a cold breeze went by my left side, I spun around and raised my sword as Penny squealed in fright.

I wouldn't say he looked scary enough to get such a reaction, maybe she just hadn't sensed his arrival like I had and there was no denying the way her hands shook as she pointed the pistol his way. Not for the first time I started to regret my choice in companion, but there wasn't anyone else I really to ask. Logan wouldn't agree to it, and the others would probably use it as a chance to practice some of what Cain had spent the last three weeks teaching them!