Hooked [Complete]

36. Ostara Part 9: Finale

Author's Note: Here we are at the end of Part 1! No, preamble, I'll just let you get to it....

Song for this Chapter: Everybody Wants to Rule the World Lorde's Version. This song is for the scene between Cerridwen and Druantia.

Finn's POV

I did what Hearne asked, I told Mercury the Horned God is on his way to rumble. And now for the last fifteen minutes or so, Mercury and Hearne have been shooting death rays to each other across the backstage area.

I was hopeful at first. I thought it was just going to be...a publicity stunt. I had a crazy idea that everyone backstage might just start snapping their fingers and break out into a choreographed lame-ass fight scene. Snap a few pics to share to Jupiter's Instagram and then we could all call it a day. I could take Lana back to the Chevron and we could shower together and wash the grime of this long-ass day the drain. Go to bed clean, and work up a new sweat.

And then predictably...the unpredictable happens.

Dru strolls through the backstage like she bought herself a new personality at Demons 'R Us. She's recalling her past life so hard even I could see the crazy ancient witch in the back of her eyes, once my godsire lent a little divine focus. Now Mercury is convinced that Hearne is re-inventing the Pagan Wheel with Dark Magic. He says it's our duty to keep the "eternal flame" of Roman civilization alive even in this backwoods, because if Hearne is raising dead dark witches, "evil" could spread like a "cancer" and eat away at all "good things Roman." I'm assuming he means Nike stock and Amazon sales might somehow take a plunge.

Dammit, I always Dru knew wasn't the goody-two shoes that she seemed—but did she really have to go and start a fucking pagan holy war?

Maybe I should just find Lana and drag her ass out of here, out of Sabit, out of the mountains. Maybe I could clear out a couple of corporate accounts before Mercury shut me down. Lana and I could disappear. Maybe go to Thailand. It's cheap to live there. We'd have enough money for awhile...enough for a year or two, enough for us to set up a life, start a little touristy business or something.

It's a pipe dream. You can't hide from the gods. I know that. Speaking of gods, here comes Hearne.

"It's Mercury isn't it?," Hearne says. "I honestly can't tell you Roman gods one from another. You all stink like gangrene, piss, and moldy cheese."

"Bold talk from a god with no...assets. No cash, no horns." Mercury's cool eyes linger above Hearne's head.

Hearne finds this funny. "I've got assets where it counts, Minimus."

"It's Maximus," Mercury replies.

"That's not what I heard," Hearne laughs.

Mercury gets pissed and gets real. "Yeah well, I heard you were lacking in oral skills."

Hearne looks truly offended. He looks at me, and Faraday. "I want you guys to know that's a fucking lie right there. Not only is it not true... Cerridwen would never throw shade at me like that. I should sue you for libel." He snaps at Sean. "Faraday, contact our lawyer."

Sean plays along, dutifully taking out his phone and sending a text. "Done," he says.

Mercury doesn't see the text pop up on my Apple Watch.

Douchegods. Both of them.

I rub my hand over my mouth to hide the smile.

It goes on like this for ten or fifteen minutes...Mercury and Cernunnos trash talking and posturing. I casually take out my phone and text Sean back.