((Written with the wonderful Eris)))

He slid a grin over to her as he grabbed his leather jacket, slipping it on as he followed her out the door. His arm eventually ended up across her shoulders, drawing her close to him to both let him lead their direction more easily as well as to keep her from the bitter nip of cold. Winter was never his favorite season, but it wasn't as bad here as it could be back home in Ireland.

The walk wasn't terribly long, only a couple of blocks to the east of her apartment. The taller buildings had given way to the ideal of a typical neighborhood. Houses lined both sides of the streets, most with ample yards and neat little fences separating the properties. Not the type of place one would imagine a man like Brenton to live, but that was probably why his siblings lived there and he didn't.

He still knew the way by memory, of course, and before long they were walking up the long stretch of a walkway toward a large, what people from Earth would call 'Victorian', house complete with a tower-like spire at one corner. They avoided the front door though, swinging to the left to scoop around the side, and he led them up a small side porch to a door. Jingling out a small handful of keys, he unlocked the door and stepped through, guiding Eris inside.

"Welcome to the O'Connor house," he said with a wry grin, clicking the door shut behind them. He had just taken a few steps in, glancing about the large kitchen they had entered, when they heard a woman's voice coming from down the hallway.

"Brenton' Is that you?"

Quillan was a tall woman, thin and lithe, with hair much more blonde than one would expect when trying to picture a sibling of Brenton's. They did have enough similar facial features to see a resemblance, although where his mouth usually curled up in a sly grin, hers seemed more inclined toward a scowl.

"Oh," she said, stopping just as she entered the kitchen, spotting Brenton's female company. Her eyes, a similar shade of blue to her brother's, landed and stayed upon Eris for a moment of time before moving to her sibling. "I didn't know you weren't coming alone."

"Quill..." The look her gave her was a mixture of deadpan and a glare, a brotherly warning if there ever was one. "Eris, this is my sister. Quill, this is Eris. You can talk in front of her." He wasn't leaving much wiggle room for that argument.

Quill didn't seem quite as convinced but she wasn't such of a b*tch that she would accept the challenge in front of company, seeing as that same company would be the main topic of the heated discussion. Heaving a sigh, she brought up a pleasant enough smile and flashed it over to Eris.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said, offering out a hand. "Brent's talked a lot about you. All good things, I promise. I'm glad we've finally gotten to meet." Once the pleasantries were over, she looked back to her brother. "There's a demon around. Sai's out of town so we need you to take care of it."

If there was any one thing Brenton didn't want Eris to worry about....He frowned, crossing his arms over his chest and leaned back against one of the marble counters.

"I don't know how powerful," Quill continued, "but Fal says that it doesn't have a name, so at least it's not the worst we could have to deal with. It does know about Kingsley," she moved her eyes, for a brief moment, over to Eris. In a blink they were back on Brenton. "I think it may have been brothers with that other one you killed awhile ago."

That only made Brenton's frown deepen. If there was one thing about demons that never made his job easier, it was that they weren't all stupid, and not all of them were solitary either. If this one was connected to the one he and Eris had blasted away back in his apartment and if, like most other demon 'brothers', it could connect to the residual memories of how its brother had died...

By this time, he was looking at the sexy brunette. He had wanted to spare her this part of him, at least for awhile. She had so much to already worry about, what with her family being who they were and even more so now because of how angered a good lot of them must be. She didn't need, nor deserve, to have to deal with the issues of his family, or with his secret profession.

Okay, so maybe 'profession' wasn't the right word. More like 'forced occupation' or 'involuntary hobby'. Either way, the cat was out of the bag now.

When those words left Eris' mouth, they had Brenton instantly smirking and had Quill's eyes going wide with surprise.

"You'd....want to go with him' Help him?" she asked of the dark-haired woman, obviously not having expected such willingness to jump into the fray. "I mean, not that I don't think you couldn't take care of yourself, being..." She trailed off with a motion of her hand. Brenton slid his eyes over to Eris, looking a tad bit guilty.

"Researchers and detectives, all in the family. Can't keep much hidden from these types for long."

"And rightly so!" Quill exclaimed back at her brother, probably more enthusiastic than was proper, but she didn't seem to mind. "We've got enough problems here trying to deal with Kingsley and all of these demons coming around. Can't really blame us for wanting to know what else is out there." If that was her way of reasoning, well....it was probably the best that any of them were going to get.

"You're right," Brenton cut in, "she can handle herself," and he gave Eris another sidelong grin. "Can't say I'd complain, having her along. She's much better company than dusty old cowboy any day."

"Fine, fine!" Quill gave a heavy sigh. "Just....don't let yourself get hurt. Either of you," she aimed her eyes at Eris. They stayed there for a moment with nothing but silence to accompany them, and it was obvious that there was more to what she was seeing that was being told. "Keep an eye on yourself, and on my brother," she said, glancing at the latter before back to the demi-goddess. "It's not easy, and it doesn't get any easier if something happens."

"Quill..." Brenton's voice had gone unusually soft, and he even pushed himself to stand upright. But Quill wouldn't have any of it, flashing a hurried smile.

"Don't bother. You best be going. Last I heard the demon was lurking around somewhere near the Marketplace, and you know how often Kingsley goes there." She turned a smile from Brenton to Eris. "Take care and good luck." Then she was heading back down the hallway.

"You sure do know how to throw my sister for a surprise," he said, turning to face Eris. If she wasn't anything else, she was confident and tough as nails, much different than any other woman he had met in his lifetime and one of the many reasons why he liked her so much. "You got anything good for fighting demons" Other than what is probably one hell of a batting arm." He reached around her to open the side door, letting her out first before stepping up behind her. A quick jingle of keys had the door locking again and they were heading down and off the small porch, making their way back to the sidewalk.

"Demons are tricky," he started, curving them to the right and back the way they came. "Like gods, there's all kinds of them, but it mostly depends on where they come from. Over the time that my family has had to deal with them we've learned that there's a multitude of planes, places of existence, and that changes what each demon is like. Some of them are made, some of them are born, and some of them just exist." He gave her a sidelong, lopsided smirk. "Makes for a fun little guessing game when you're face to face with one and only have half second to figure it out."

Moving them down one road then another, it wasn't long before they found themselves in one of the seeder parts of town. Numerous drunks, beggars, druggies and cripples lined the streets and more than one had their eyes trained on Eris, but with a certain dark-haired man striding alongside of her, that was the most that they did. Not that she couldn't take care of herself - in fact, Brenton would probably enjoy such a show - but it made him feel a certain kind of good to know that he could protect her. Maybe she was getting closer to his heart than he had anticipated, and that wasn't exactly the worst of things.

"If this demon is anything like the one back at my place," he continued, "it should be relatively easy to take care of. More brawn than brain, we should be able to out-think it without trying. The worst part we've got to watch out for is the fact that they can rage, and since we may have been the demise of its brother..." He let that one slide off on its own.

"You did really well back there." A switch in the conversation. He motioned over his shoulder with his head to indicate the interaction they had had with his sister. "She's not the easiest to get along with, but you took it all in stride. Thank you." And he truly meant that.

"Do you have any powers you think might be useful should things get dirty?" he asked, changing back to the original topic. Reaching behind him and up underneath his jacket, he pulled out a hefty-looking pistol. Glancing at her, "and have you ever shot one of these before?"

He wasn't entirely sure where all of this had come from, but he also wasn't entirely surprised that it had come up. All of this talk of demons and angels and the gunslingers who kept them apart - it wasn't surprising to him at all that Eris had begun to feel more than a little uncomfortable. What was surprising, however, was how he felt compelled to react to it.

"Hey," he said, stopping completely to turn toward her, tucking that gun away against the small of his back. Both hands came up, settling heavily at each of her shoulders, while his head angled downward to let their eyes meet on the same level as much as possible. "You've got no reason to be ashamed of who or what you are, and you've got no reason to be afraid of it either. I know what you've told me. I know what information my cousin has dug up and felt compelled to tell Quill. I know that you're far from human, that you've existed probably longer than anyone else I know," and that was saying a lot, considering the O"Connors and their merry band of misfits.

"You have a past and I know that too. We both do - though I'm not saying that I have any kids or anything." His wolfish smile was evident here, outstretching to her that he was taking this a lot lighter than he guessed she thought he would. It wasn't worn for too long though, knowing that this was no simple matter to just be brushed off with an easy roguish grin.

"If there's one thing that I've learned in this life," he said, rubbing his thumbs against her - a subconscious movement that spoke louder than words, "it's that you can't live it while worrying about the past, or the future. You could be reclaimed back to Olympus. I could die trying to protect my sister. Who's to say either one of those things is going to happen today, tomorrow, a month or year from now?" He gave a small shrug.

The idea of someone out to kill her, to specifically take her from him and reel her back to the life she had before, sent a razor of protectiveness racing down his spine, and it wasn't the gentle kind. "If he thinks it's going to be an easy task, I'd like to see him try." It probably wasn't the best idea to taunt the reigning god of ancient power, but right now Brenton didn't much care. He wasn't about to let the woman who had snuck into his life and captured his heart, as unexpected and, at one time, undesired as it had been, to simply be taken away because some cranky old deity missed his plaything. If he had any say about it, he'd fight for her until the end.

"I'm not a spot of pure sunshine either," he said, pulling back just enough so that he could start them walking again. One arm remained around her, circling her shoulders to keep her close, and made it easy to lead them both down an alleyway. Halfway down, they approached a door. Reaching out to open it, he scooted her inside before following and closing it behind them. It was a large warehouse, old and unkempt by any standard with a high ceiling and various stairs and walkways crisscrossing all over it. "I dated a demon once," he continued, leading them straight down the middle. "Dated" might have been too strong of a word but, he wasn't about to get into that right then. "Not that I meant to. She didn't tell me and she wasn't of the kind that we could sense easily back then." He lead her to a set of stairs, his boots clunking noisily as he followed her up. Finally, after a span of silence that could only spell for disaster, "I ended up getting her killed." It wasn't exactly the most pleasant thing to admit but since Eris had been so open and forthcoming with him, pretty much from the very start, he thought that it was only fair that he do the same for her.

"You're not the kind of demon that we have to watch out for," he clarified once they reached the top of the stairs and started down the long stretch of metal walkway. He paused, long enough to take her by the arm. "I'm not going to let anybody kill you. Not as long as I'm around. Besides," he gave her a slow, one-sided grin, "you just said that you love me. Think I'm going to let you off that hook that easily?"

It would have been a sweet moment, including a deep gaze from those killer blue eyes and the sort of kiss that left one breathless, but just as Brenton stepped in there was a loud crash and bang from somewhere up above. He had felt the presence but hoped it hadn't felt his - or Eris". Looking up, his jaw shifted and set. "Looks like there's not going to be enough time for a lesson." He looked back down at her. "Ready to show this demon what we've got?"

He smirked. "That's my girl."

Taking the next set of stairs two at a time, he came up beside the door the lead out onto the rooftop and put his back to the wall, Turning his head to look at her, "I'm not exactly sure what this is going to be like but worst case scenario, you run. Got it?" With the way he looked at her, the way his eyes were the strangest mixture of soft and hard, he didn't leave much room for argument. He didn't give her much time for it either. "Stay behind me and be on your guard. If you see an opening, take it, but don't risk yourself either."

For a moment he just stood there, staring at the raving dark-haired beauty beside him. How lucky of a man was he to have a woman like her" The luckiest man he knew, that was for sure. Here she was, putting her life on the line and if only to possibly aid him - and that life wasn't simply that of a mortal but of a demigoddess who would return to her home of power and continue her line of work as if this existence had meant nothing. It was a hard thing to swallow - harder than he was willing to admit - and he already rued the day when he would have to let her go. It was something he didn't settle easily with, losing something he cared so deeply for, and it made the rebellious nature inside of him stir like an angry hornets" nest. Would he really have to see her go' Did he have no say in the matter other than trying to prevent it by keeping her safe" It was something he was going to ask Fallon about, whether or not he told Eris, and made a mental note to do so when he next got the chance.

He had learned the rule long ago not to get attached. He had also learned shortly after that it was one thing to abide by that rule and another to use it as a ruse. Reaching out with a hand, he gently touched her by the chin. "You're beautiful, you know," and he meant in more than just the physical sense, although that was more than true too. One side of his mouth hitched, his visage turning sincere. "And I love you."

Strange timing" You betcha, but that was just a part of who Brenton was. He wasn't one for clich's or things straight from the book. He said what he needed to say exactly when he needed to say it and that was that. To him, there was no point in waiting. He'd never forgive himself if they bolted out onto that roof and he ended up with a demon claw ripping out his throat. How could he tell her then" Better to tell her now, looking into her eyes and touching her soft skin, than not and regret it later. And besides, it gave him a reason to fight all the harder.

A loud thud sapped away any residual lovey-dovey-ness they might have had and he looked back to the door. "Remember, stay behind me and do what you can. We've got this." Pulling open the door and stepping out onto the gravel-dusted rooftop, he looked around at what seemed to be a vacant span of nothing - until he spotted the bloodied heap of what once was a town guard. He didn't say anything but frowned, reaching back behind him to wrap his fingers around the butt of his gun.

"Brenton O"Connor." The voice came from the far end of the roof, behind some tall cooling ducts, feminine and deceptively sweet. Out from behind that shield of metal stepped a woman, tall and lithe and attractive, hosting a wealth of long dark hair bound loosely low against her neck and eyes the color of a perfect storm. "I should have known it would have been you."

"Mira," Brenton grumbled, his lips growing thin. Of course it was her. "I thought you were dead."

"Not quite, my dear," she said as she started walking, hugging the far side of the flat rooftop with a slow pace. "You see, when you and that gunslinger friend of yours shot me and I became a puff of smoke, I had simply vanished," she explained, giving him a quick wink. "A little trick my father taught me."

"I knew that I couldn't go back since you knew what I was," she continued, still walking that slow semi-circle, "and once that gunslinger had my scent he could track me for miles. So I stayed away - although, trust me, it was very hard, considering." She had stopped so that she could turn to face him, her eyes smoldering as they slithered over him, up and down. It was then that she spotted the brunette somewhere behind him, and her expression shifted to mock surprise. " Oh, you have a little girlfriend. How sweet. Did you tell her about us?"

"She knows everything about you, Mira." A partial lie but, according to Brenton, Eris knew everything she needed to - this woman was a demon and should be dead, and the fact that she wasn't just meant that she needed to be. He clenched the hilt of his pistol, one finger hovering over the trigger. "Why don't you make this easier on yourself and just submit?"

"Oh, I'm afraid it's not going to be that easy, my dear," she said, clasping her hands in front of her. "You see, you killed my brother - and actually killed, not like what happened to me - and on top of that, you've replaced me," she sighed, looking to Eris with a pity on her face. "I don't care for either of those things. So you're going to pay. It's a pity too," she said, looking to Brenton again. "This could have been such an' eventful reunion."

And with that, she went on the strike, darting forward from one side in a mad lunge toward the Irishman. Brenton, anticipating as much, whipped out the gun as he pushed off to his right, cradling the firearm in front of him with both hands as he leveled it to aim. But something wasn't quite right. The woman shrieking toward him looked streaked, as if she were a computer download that had major glitches, and that could only mean one thing. Eyes going wide, he looked to Eris. Coming up behind her from one direction was the cleaner, actual version of the demon known as Mira. Swinging his gun around, he yelled out, "Eris!", silently cursing himself for not having seen this coming. He felt like a failure then and there, unable to keep true to all his oaths to keep her safe.

So much for being her knight in shining armor.

"Eris!" The Irishman's voice boomed again, but it was nothing in comparison to what the demigoddess conjured up. The blinding light had him steering away, bringing an arm up as he turned in a vague attempt to block out the searing light even as his eyesight turned to nothing but white.

"You b*tch!" the demon shrieked, obviously flailing in the midst of the lightning shock. She was quick though, and not too keen on being obliterated in a single blow, and was soon darting away to the far side of the roof. She was singed, the long red dress she wore a little too dark around the edges and a good amount of her hair was no longer pulled back into that perfect ponytail, framing her face like an angry aura of black.

"So you've gotten yourself something a little different this time, haven't you, Brenton?" the demon asked rhetorically, looking to the man as he recovered from the temporary blindness.

"Something better than you, Mira," he replied, finally looking at her with a lopsided smirk. The demon woman glared at him, and they were all lucky that she wasn't able to kill him with those figurative daggers. Instead she tried the old fashioned way and went for him directly, her abnormal speed leaving a streak behind her as she moved up and around to the left, a hand reaching back as her fingers extended, becoming claws.

But Brenton wasn't entirely defenseless either - he was, after all, a substitute Gunslinger when he had to be. Swinging his gun arm up as he pushed off to the right, he fired off a couple of shots. While moving as fast as regular bullets would, the ones exiting the chamber of the heavy pistol blazed with a bright light. One struck the demon along the wrist of her attacking arm and she let out a scream, the wound a perfect hole rimmed in glowing bright red, but lacking blood.

While Mira landed where Brenton had just been, holding her what appeared to be burning wrist and letting out a series of horrific screams, he had darted over toward Eris, getting in front of her and scooping her behind him with the swoop of his available arm. "I need to get behind her," he said in a low, gruff voice. Under any other circumstance, he wouldn't have even dreamed about asking for her help. This was the woman he cared for, and admittedly loved. Any other person would think him careless and daft for asking her to trick a demon. But he knew Eris - or at least knew a good amount about her - and he knew that she wasn't helpless or defenseless, let alone the type of girl who would just stand there and scream. She was the type of woman who didn't mind getting her hands dirty. In fact, she'd probably love it. If they were going to be an item for the long run, then he couldn't imagine anyone else he'd trust more.

Turning his head just enough to look back at her, he gave her a slow grin. "Think you can distract her enough to get me there?"

The spine-tingling kiss was enough to give the Irishman an extra boost of adrenaline, his back straightening as he bowed his head down to her, ravishing her mouth for as long as she gave it to him. His empty hand opened and clenched in the empty air, knowing that if he dared to let it touch that wealth of dark hair, he'd never let go in time to blow the demon to bits. So when she pulled away, pushing him to let him do his deed, he spared only a long enough moment to give her a roguish grin before moving off, swinging along the long side of the building to give the ladies some room.

Hearing Eris" taunting, snarky remarks had him grinning all the wider, but he had other things he had to focus on. It was his natural skill matched with Eris" wild distractions that allowed him to meld so well into the shadows that splattered the rooftop, darting from one swollen shroud of darkness to the other. Taking a moment to peer around a tall metal generator, he could see that Mira had fallen in deep for the trap. She stood where she had before, far enough from the edge to give him a chance but close enough that it was going to be a slim one, holding her damaged wrist and glaring at the other woman with eyes that had, at some point, turned bright yellow. He knew that look all too well, having seen it once before the last time he had confronted Mira. It meant that she was getting angry - and not just your typical "I'm going to slap you? kind of angry but your "I'm going to rip your heart out and eat it while it still beats" kind of angry. They were cutting it close, but it was the only thing that they could do. So, slowly, he began moving to the very edge of the roof to make his final attack.

Mira was thoroughly enthralled with all of the lustful scenes that were flooding her very vision. Beds, beaches, sofas, floors, cars, walls, motorcycles; it didn't matter where she looked, all she could see was Brenton and Eris, writhing in the throes of deepest passion. It made her blood boil, her mere look able to curdle milk. Heat began to pulsate off of her, scalding hot and bitter cold all at the same time. Her flesh paled, bright red veins beginning to glow just under the skin. Her clawed hands came down to her sides, clicking together, the nasty-looking talons black and sparking each time they touched.

She would have said something, having some sort of remark buried beneath all of the jealousy and anger, but she didn't have the time. Brenton was on the move, sliding up behind his last useable fortress and bringing his gun up to his chest. He could feel the radiating hatred from the demon and knew that if there was ever a time, this was going to be it. Pushing himself out from his hiding spot, he started straight for Mira.

Then Eris said that she was pregnant.

And that it was his.

If it weren't for his strong desire not to want to try learning how to fly, Brenton probably would have misstepped right then and there and toppled over the side of the building. If it weren't for his resolve as a gunslinger (of sorts), he would have faltered and the attack would have failed completely. And if it weren't for his love for the woman now standing there claiming that she was carrying his child, whether true or not, and for his determination to keep her safe, he wouldn't have managed to get off that shot. Thankfully he did, but not before she had let out the wildest of shrieks and leapt for the woman, claws extended and jaw unhinging, revealing a brutal set of razor-sharp teeth.

He let off more than one round, watching the bullets blaze a trail straight for the demon's back. But her rage was feeding a force well beyond that of a typical person. Even when the bullets met her flesh, burrowing their way through to explode meat and bone alike, she kept on going. Brenton's heart was in his throat as time seemed to slow, the demon in mid-air with three red holes turning from small dots to gaping wounds, their edges gnawing and tearing at her as they continued to grow. Her previous injury was doing the same, so much so that her hand completely fell off, falling to ground before simply turning to ash.

And yet she kept on going.

"Eris!" His voice seemed so far away. She seemed even farther. He leveled the gun and sent another shot for the back of the demon's head, but even still he was trying to get around her and to Eris. Whether or not what she had said was true, there was no way in heaven or hell he was going to let this demon, or any other, take her.

He had lost enough people; his parents, his brother-in-law, a few friends, even a dog. Whether it was distance and time or being murdered by a demon, Brenton was tired of having to let people go. That was why he was finding himself surging with determination, yelling with the stubbornness that, this one time, he wasn't going to see someone leave his life. As long as he could, he wasn't going to let that happen.

The gun wasn't working. Even with the searing-white bullets that were screaming from its burning barrel, it just wasn't enough to buy him, and Eris, the time that they needed. He was too far away, too slow, to get to her before the demon collided, and he knew better than to think that they'd just end up in a screaming, thrashing pile on the ground.

Brenton didn't want to do it, but he had no other choice. He hated trusting that something that could, or rather should, be enough to destroy the demon from afar to a method that brought it all so dangerously close to chaos - and not the kind that he liked in Eris.

Reaching out from behind him, a long silver dagger, elaborate in design and make, was now in his hand. Shifting his weight, he pushed himself away from Eris and instead toward the shrieking demon, drawing back his arm so that at the last moment he could thrust that dagger with all of his might into the demon's back. Brenton pushed past her, grabbing Eris around the waist with an arm like a steel band to bring her to the ground with him, drawing her tight enough against his chest to hear the snap of his own ribs - a price he was more than willing to pay to keep her safe.

The result of the attack was devastating. The bullet holes had been bad enough - blazing red circles that were literally eating away at Mira's flesh, flaking it off in bits and pieces of charcoal ash - but with the dagger now embedding hilt-deep, their progression was intensified ten-fold. Instead of creeping slowly, they ravaged her like a virus, exploding like bombs and cracking with a low boom. Her face was a twisted mix of rage and anger and confusion, the latter overtaking as she looked down at herself just in time to watch her own chest be eaten away, followed by her neck to which her head was no longer attached before that, too, puffed into nothing but a mere shroud of dust. Brenton just stared, watching the cloud hover in the air before a gentle wind simply swept it away. He looked down at Eris, not knowing what he expected to see.

"Are you okay?"

"It's alright," he answered, feeling his mouth break out into a wide grin. "We're both alright." He pulled Eris into a tight embrace, clenching her to his chest regardless of the internal pain that it brought. Looking over to the pile of dust that had just moments before been a demon, he watched as the silver dagger, too, simply crumbled into ash.

"Come on," he said, trying not to groan as he released her and got them both to their feet. Keeping her close to him, as if still warding off the fear that something might happen to make him lose her, he started them both for the rooftop door. "Let's get us back to your place. I think we both could use a shower and some rest."

"You know," he said, looking down at her as they made their way, "you did really well out there. You're a good partner." He planted a kiss to Eris' temple, smelling, despite everything else, the sweetness of her hair. He was one lucky bastard, that was for sure. He grinned against her skin.

Even with all the sweet promises of a good massage and roll in the hay, once back at her apartment, reality was a bitch. Brenton was broken in a few spots and Eris was completely wiped out. So much much so, she was out cold as soon as her head hit the pillow. She'd stay in a semi-comatose state for three days. Unresponsive. The only proof she lived was the slow rise and fall of her chest and warmth of her skin.

Brenton wouldn't be alone though. When were they ever truly alone" After a few short hours, the front door would open with the use of an illicitly gained key card. The 'intruder' could be heard rustling with paper bags, shoving things in the fridge, whistling and pressing buttons on the microwave which would soon fill the apartment with the smell of Chinese food. Sweet and sour chicken to be precise.

Hope Brent wasn't naked since Eros rarely bothered to announce his presence. An armful of orange roses entered the bedroom before he did, whistling up a storm as if nothing was amiss. "These are for the lovely lady. Her favorite you know. Help her feel better. I also have some dinner in there for you..she won't be needing any yet you see..but, when she does, I stocked the place with all her favorites." Placing the flowers in a huge vase by the bed before taking a look at the patient. "Tsk, tsk, tsk..who'd have thought the Queen of Calamity could be put out of commission. Well, aside from when she believed you'd want nothing to do with her..you know, after finding how who she really was." Flopping in a chair by the window, shaking his head with a fond smirk on his face. "Ah, yes...that girl wanted nothing to do with anybody. Poor dear. Ate a whole gallon of rocky road ice cream with a few bottles of Jim Beam. I wouldn't think that combination went together; but.." Shrugging. "Not saying that to her. She was a grouch. Would have killed anything that moved. Even me! Now look at her..so tiny and fragile." Was he irritating the boyfriend" Probably. Just Cupid's way of showing he cared. "How're you doing" Anything broken" Need it fixed?"

The third wheel would only have to be endured for an hour or so before getting called back to Olympus. Wasn't suppose to be visiting her in the first place. Seems he rarely listened to the Big Man's rules. "Don't leave her alone." The warning was one of the few times Eros came across as serious. Dead serious. "Eris is vulnerable right now. Until her body mends, she's totally defenseless. If you have to leave, call out for me and I'll take over guard duty." _________________________________

By the time Eros returned to Olympus, Zeus was in the meeting hall with his wife for a heated discussion in how to handle their 'little problem'. As usual, he and Hera were on opposite sides of the fence.

"The man has to go! She can't become the happy housewife and ignore her duties any longer. He's a nuisance, like squirrels or pigeons, and this relationship has to stop. Eris belongs here. Period." Rattling the floor with the power of his fist slamming against the throne arm.

Hera sat at his side, seemingly bored and more than a little amused by his incessant rantings of late. "Oh poo. You're just mad he saved her and she didn't die. Thus, you're contract still stands. Besides, she's never ignored a request, even while on this little adventure. I think you're worried she's found an equal. If any children occur from this pairing, you fear how powerful they will be." Eyeing her nails. Was time for a manicure. "Personally, I'd enjoy the pitter patter of little feet."

"EQUAL!" There was not a single soul in the vicinity who dare so much as breathe when Zeus lost his temper. He was losing it now. "There is no equal to us! He's a human.." Snarling out the last word in disgust. "The man is in no way deserving of the right to lay hands on one of my children, much less procreate with her."

"Technically, she's not your child..Eris is your creation. Big difference, love. And, from what I hear, he may not be fully human. I mean, the man has bested demons twice in defense of her. I don't think a mere human could do so barehanded." Bored with this argument, Hera rose to give her grumpy hubby a kiss on the cheek. "Why not test him' See if he's worthy' Three challenges should be a good indication of his ability and love for her..yes" Like the good old days. Put him through his paces. In the end, he gets the girl or you get rid of him."

He had to think on that a bit. Hated to admit his wife was right. She'd just given him the best way to kill off the pest. "As usual, you are the voice of reason and opportunity. I shall put this boy through his paces. If he fails...well, let's just say I won't have to worry about his interference again and.."

"and if he doesn't, you are never to try to do harm to him or interfere with their relationship again. The test starts when she awakens. That is my rule. If you break it, a few month as a jackass will seem like a heavenly vacation compared to what I will do to you. Do you have that in writing, Eros?" Yep, Hera was always prepared. The Messenger was also a great record keeper and around when needed for such a time as this.

"That I do, my lovely lady. He'll not be worming out of this one." The document was sealed with a wax stamp and magically dispersed to the archives for safe storage.

Brenton listened to the God of War carefully, all the while remaining seated, staring up at him. It wasn't until he gave him a moment to think that he looked to Eris, tucked warmly into her bed by his hand, oblivious to the rest of the world. He didn't like the thought of leaving her - Eros had warned him not to leave her alone. But Ares didn't seem like the type of man, or god, that would want Eris put into harm's way. Despite his lack of being mortal, Ares had an air of honesty about him, and maybe even compassion for the star-crossed lovers.

It took a little while but, eventually, Brenton agreed to the terms. "You're sure she'll be safe there?" he asked of Ares as he stood. He didn't know much about the worlds of the gods, and little more of their patrons, but he figured it couldn't hurt asking, just to make sure. Again, he looked to the slumbering demi-goddess. "I'm the one that put her in this state," he said, mostly to himself. He wanted to move over to her, to brush her hair away from her face. He stayed put.

"I'll do whatever it takes," he said, looking back to her brother. It was only then that he wished he had taken the time to go back to his apartment, to fix his broken bones.

But there was no time for that. For the second time in his lifetime, the Irishman was standing on the crest of Olympus. He didn't hesitate in finding the stash Ares spoke of and as he threw the cloak over his shoulders he couldn't help but feel like Perseus in that movie he had seen once, 'Clash of the Titans'. With the vial tucked into a pocket and the signet ring on his finger, an odd mirror to the other one he always wore, he felt more and more like a gladiator as he slipped his arm into the shield strap.

Stepping out into the view of the crowd, he didn't lower his head in fear or shame. "I wouldn't ask mercy from someone like you," he responded loudly, enough so that all gathered could hear. His grip tightened on the handle of the shield, his jaw setting firm. "Let's get this started."

_____________________________

Brenton would soon learn there were several branches within the great family of Olympus. Some stood firm with Zeus, others..those consider of 'darker' spirits, lay their allegiance more towards Ares. Lastly, like Cupid boy, some preferred the precarious line right smack in the middle of the road. Trying not to sway too far left or too far right for too long. Trusting anyone fully could be a fool's game. But what side Brenton chose to stay on would all be up to him and how well he could wade through the waters of treachery and deceit.

"I swear on her life and your own, that she will be safe." Didn't that land like an anchor over their heads" "But my bet is on you, kid." Clicking his tongue while moving towards his sister. "Funny, she usually snores when asleep. Ever notice that?" A light smile coming to his lips while a gentle thumb brushed some hair from her face as he leaned over that all too peaceful form. Heph will protect her. Zeus, even on his strongest surge of testosterone, will not set foot in the Iron God's lair. For too many souls will try to drag him to hell where he condemned them." Lowering to whisper into her ear. "..aah, sister..what a tangled web, yes" Have you up and back to normal in no time old girl" Laughing on the way back up. "She'll bitch slap me for that later."

As to his comment of fault, Ares could only shake his head. "You are as much to blame for this as the sun is for the snow. Perhaps connected, but in no way at fault." Laying a firm hand to Brenton's shoulder. "You make her happy. Happiness balances out Chaos. Much like a scale leaning too much on one side, the whole thing gets out of whack..so to, does she. Oh sure, she plays up the dark side for all it's worth simply for the fun; but, tis only the light side that keeps the equilibrium in check. I've seen her go full on because of Zeus' deranged commands. Hell man..she can be a portal to hell." Heading back to Ares, pulling the sheet completely over her head. "..or heaven hmmm?" Casting a cheeky grin. "Many a man wants to know the kind of heaven; but, she shares it only with you."

"I'll do whatever it takes."

"Would you die for her" Ask yourself that before you go."

The God of War already knew what his answer would be. The fun was about to begin.

Zeus and his hoard awaited. If the God was surprised by Brenton's defiant demeanor, it did not show. Only the sour glare managed to wrinkle it's way across his brow. The mortal did look like a warrior. Pissing the great one off even further. For those types often proved to be read pains in the ass.

"I wouldn't give mercy to someone like one." was his booming retort.

"When you piss your pants, I will hang them from the highest peak that all may know."

The little piss ants challenge managed to draw some approving grunts from one side of the arena to indicate where Brenton's cheering section lay.

"Did you kiss your mother goodbye' I don't expect you'll be seeing her again..nor Eris. Be sure it's worth it. You know what she's doing right now?" Waving his hand in the air where the reflection of a mirror appeared. Lo and behold, there was Eris in the buff astride a buff young man like a cowboy rides a horse. From the sounds of it, they were having a wonderful time. Cat calls and laughter filled the air from the growing fans assembling. "Go home while you can. Get a nice woman to fill your seed and be happy. My daughter has clearly forgotten you already. But, if you're truly that stupid. Head for the Mount." Pointing to the tallest peak in mountain range. Your first challenge somewhere along the path. See if you can survive."

With the tap of his staff against the marble floor, Brenton would find himself free falling as the temperature plummets. He'd land knee deep in snow, staring up at a frozen rock mountain with steep boulders and cliffs which vanish high into the sky. Frigid winds could blow him off at any time and any thing could leap out to challenge him before he even reached the first true test.

By the time Brenton was sent to the mountain, Eris was awake in the depths of Hades and fit to be tied. "Are you fucking kidding me" That mountain is dangerous enough without Zeus in control of it!"

"Now, now, now.." Hephaestus help up both hands in his own defense. "Your boy, he's strong..he's smart, he's got your brother's assistance. So long as Brenton figures out which gifts to use as which time, everything should be fine. You want to know if he's worthy, right?"

"He's already proven himself worthy to me!" Ready to strangle somebody. Anybody! It was not fair to keep her trapped in here while there were Gods up there systematically trying to kill the one person she cared about in the universe.

Heff took a couple of steps back, shook his head and poured two glasses of wine. "The challenge was accepted, Eris. Brenton chose to go by putting on that ring. He's doing this for you. By interfering, you'll break the contract Hera so skillfully weaved together to allow the two of you a chance to be together with no further interference." Sipping his drink. "You can't help him. But.." Arching a brow. "Others are planning to. Trust in us."

Her lips pursed. Wanting to argue further; but, holding back. Instead, she'd ask for one favor. "He was injured defending me before we were thrown in this..this..challenge." Having to spit out the word. "That's not a fair way to start a quest. Heal him. If he has to face all these dangers, he should be at full capacity."

"I'll send word to Ares. It will be done."

_____

As Brenton neared the top of the mountain, the ferocity of the wind howled all around him as if trying to shove him from the icy edge. Nothing by the elements challenged his progress. About 80 feet from the peek, a cave appeared offering shelter from the raging storm. Inside, it was calm, quiet and oddly warm. Seems he'd get a break to gather his strength.

As time passed, there'd come the sound of something dragging along the stone floors, scrapping against the walls..the methodical clicking of steps at a heavy, even pace. The closer the sounds became, the warmer the cave. It appears the 'hottest' prediction was about to come true.

The great beast paused, sniffed at the air then inhaled. Was the exhale Brenton should be ready for. Quest number one had began and it was a scorcher.