She tossed and turned in her bed for a few hours, she couldn't get what Cassandra had said about the gods being weak, Hekate had never seemed weak, but maybe she had more magick than she was able to access. If that was true, her heart skipped a beat, if Hekate did have more power what would she be able to do if she was able to use it all? She fell into a fitful sleep after that and woke up the next morning feeling even more tired than she had been when she fell asleep.
She groaned and rolled out of bed, her feet hit the floor and she wiped the sleep from her face. She may have been exhausted but she stretched and got to her feet. Starting the shower she peeled her dirty clothes from her body, she probably should have showered the night before but she had been too tired to bother with it. She stepped into the shower and let the hot water wash down her body letting it rinse the dirt down the drain and relax the muscles in her neck and shoulders.
She was trying when she passed by her living room and froze. The pillows and blankets had been folded and placed neatly on the couch, Cassandra was nowhere to be seen. Kate reached inside her trying to pull Hekate out but though she had seemed to be stronger she still hadn't spoken up. Running to the front door she she flung it open and ran outside looking everywhere for any trace of her. When she didn't find her she spun around, but before she stepped inside she saw her runes, they faded away, and when she reached out to feel the protections they were gone. How could she have been so stupid, why hadn't she checked the runes the second she had landed in her kitchen? Where was Cassandra? She placed her hands on her head in a panic and ran to her room. Digging she pulled out her books and started flipping through them as if they would give her an idea of where she could be. Flinging the last book in frustration she slipped on her boots and ran out the door and headed to her station wagon before she remembered it was still at the park.
She pulled out her phone and called Ollie and Amanda, it was time to tell them everything, and hope they might be able to help her find Cassandra.
Ollie picked her up and they drove in silence to the Cafe, the entire ride there Kate tried to pull Hekate from her slumber. It was as though the harder she tried to pull her out the deeper Hekate dug in. She was able to reach some of her magick again though, which was about to come in handy she thought as they pulled up to the cafe.
Ollie and Amanda sat in a booth staring at her with questions in their eyes. She had told both of them everything, but they still seemed very skeptical.
"Okay so explain this to me again, there is a goddess living inside of you? And she shares her magick with you in some sort of exchange for the use of your body as some sort of hiding spot?" Amanda said, brushing a lock of red hair from her face.
Kate nodded, "I mean that's one way of putting it, but we are family. She has been with my family for hundreds of years, in hiding from a crazy god that wants to own her."
Ollie let out a low chuckle, "And you expect us to just believe this? Can we talk to her?"
Kate looked at her coffee and sighed, "As much as I would love to she wore herself down when she fought off Ares' sons in Artemis' realm."
"You realize you sound like a crazy person? Like maybe the men in white need to visit you," Ollie said eyeing her quizzically.
She knew it was going to be hard to convince them without them talking to Hekate but maybe...she lifted a hand and concentrated, she still didn't have great control over fire but she was still able to reach water fairly simply. Gradually small droplets of water began to take shape, they touched one another and began to form a large globe of water. Amanda's eyes widened, her jaw slackening as she watched the globe begin to spin into a cyclone. Ollie stayed silent and studied Kate's face instead of the swirling mass of water inside. Kate shook her hand and the water spun away as she waited for either of them to say anything. Before they could the doors of the cafe opened and the most beautiful woman Kate had ever seen flowed inside flanked by an almost equally beautiful man and woman.
Kate stood up, "I'm sorry but the cafe is closed for today."
The woman's sea blue eyes sparkled and she ran a hand through her long golden locks. She stood at eye level with Kate, her body shaped like an hourglass was clothed in a tight shirt and jeans. Her full lips smiled sweetly as she said, "Oh you sweet thing, so polite, but I'm not here for coffee. I'm here to talk to Kate, see she and I have a conversation we need to have."
Kate squinted at the woman standing in her cafe, she didn't have any idea who she was but she knew this couldn't be good.
"I'm Kate," she said approaching her, "What can I do for you?"
The woman's smile turned into a sneer, before Kate hate a chance to react she felt a sting across her face and blood in her mouth. Chairs scraped and Amanda and Ollie were standing next to her the latter with her hands on Kate's shoulders.
"What the hell? Who are you and what do you want?" Ollie said stepping in front of Kate protectively. The woman laughed and looked at the man next to her, with a nod he stepped up and slammed his fist into Ollie's stomach, the girl flinched but said nothing.
Kate wiped her mouth glaring at the woman as she watched her slide gracefully into a booth crossing her legs and leaning back as though she owned the place.
"Who are you?" Kate growled, "What are you doing here?"
The woman's smile returned, "Well we have some business you and I, mortal," she made the word sound disgusting, "See you attacked my sweet twins that bothers me."
Kate blinked and looked at Ollie and Amanda trying to get them to go back to the store room and out the back door.
The woman shook her head and her companions stood behind them blocking their exit. "No one is going anywhere, not until we are done talking," she gestured to the opposite side of the booth and Kate took a seat.
"You still haven't answered my question, who are you?" she asked.
"Oh how incredibly rude of me, I am Aphrodite, but I prefer to be called Venus."
Kate's stomach dropped, if this was Aphrodite then she was talking about Phobos and Deimos and they were in more trouble than she thought.
"Now would be a really good time for you to wake up Hekate," she thought reaching inside herself, she couldn't be sure but she thought she felt a flicker come from inside her. She took a deep breath and tried to stay calm as she reached deeper inside herself.
Venus smiled again, she knew Kate was weak or else she wouldn't have been brave enough to come here, even so, she had brought back up with her.
"You hurt my boys mortal," her eyes narrowed, "And no one hurts my children without consequences, as Psyche," she nodded to the dark-skinned girl, "Will attest." The girl, Psyche looked at the man and blushed, but Venus cleared her throat and the girl turned back to her and nodded.
Psyche, Kate knew that story, she looked at the man standing behind Ollie, that had to be Eros.
"So what do you suppose should be done about that?" Venus asked studying her nails.
Kate smirked and crossed her arms, she was going to have to do this just right, pissing off a goddess when hers was down for the count didn't seem like a great idea.
"I didn't attack them, they attacked me."
Venus' smile faltered but she didn't flinch, "They don't see it that way, all they were there for was those animals Hekate and Artemis keep, no one had to get hurt."
Kate couldn't help it she snorted, "That is a flat-out lie, they both attacked me and my wolves," she fingered the leather bracelets on her wrists.
"It isn't wise to argue with a goddess," Venus said getting to her feet. Kate could feel the magick prickle in the air and she got to her feet as well reaching for her magick.
"Seriously Hekate, wake up anytime," she thought reaching deeper into herself than she ever had, suddenly she felt it. Hekate had woken up. The goddess filled her body like a crack of lightning the energy making her hair stand on end. Kate smiled and let her goddess take the reins.
"Hello Aphrodite," Hekate said her voice shaking the windows, "It's been a long time," she lifted her hands and sent a blast of frigid air blowing her into the counter. She landed on her knees but quickly got to her feet a growl coming from her lips.
"How dare you attack a goddess!" she screamed sending a blast of white-hot flames barrelling towards her. Hekate lifted a hand and a wall of water had the flames sizzling out before they reached them.
"How dare you attack my vessel, Aphrodite."
The goddess's eyes widened the fear plain on her face, she gripped her son's arm digging her nails into his skin.
"Hekate?" she asked her voice holding a small quiver, "But how? You used up your power, my sons showed me what you did."
Hekate sneered cruelly at her, "My vessel is stronger than any other I have ever had," Kate felt herself fill with pride, she had had no idea Hekate felt that way.
"She was able to pull me back faster than any vessel has ever been able to, now I suggest you go back to Hera with your tail between your legs before I burn that pretty blonde hair of yours."
Venus' eyes flashed but she looked at her companions, Eros shook his head and leaned in whispering into her ear.
"I will leave, for now, Hekate but you should probably ask where your prisoner is," she said her lips quirking up, "Your precious vessel forgot to replace her ruins and spells and lost her." Kate could feel the fury in Hekate and she knew some was directed at her but it was mainly focused on Venus.
"If there is one hair harmed on her head Aphrodite I swear to the Morai-" she was cut off when Venus cackled loudly. For someone so beautiful her laugh sounded like a murder of crows cawing.
"The Morai? The Morai are furious with you Hekate, I wouldn't be swearing by them if I was you."
Hekate had had enough and she let a ball of fire explode in her hands and she took a step closer. Eros and Psyche stepped in front of her, she reached out and gripped their arms, "It's fine, my dears, let's get back to Hera she's going to need our help soon I would think," she pulled them out the door tossing another of her sneers over her shoulder before following behind them.
Hekate's eyes followed them as they faded away, then she turned to Amanda and Ollie smiling, "It's nice to finally meet you, our name is Hekate."
Amanda looked at Ollie who stared at Hekate with eyes full of awe, "She wasn't crazy."