Chapter 149
TITAN BOARD ROOM – ATHENS, GREECE
Victor chuckled.
VICTOR: Little brother, you do sound foolish when you try to intimidate me.
TITUS: It's not intimidation, Victor. It's telling the truth. You say that my family is out of control? Please. Your family isn't so perfect, either. Don't try to talk as if they are.
VICTOR: No, my family is not perfect. But at least my family know how to be discreet. My family certainly wouldn't be caught smuggling illegal blood diamonds or killing their own family.
TITUS: Don't be ridiculous, Victor! You have more blood on your hands than anybody!
VICTOR: I said would never get caught. You see, Τίτος, unlike you, I wouldn't sell out my own son.
TITUS: Do not try to speak to me about my parenting skills, Victor! Don't most of your children hate you? The ones that are still alive, I mean.
VICTOR: And good for them! It's made them stronger, as people. Yes, my children probably do hate me, or at the very least resent me. But they also respect me. They know what I do, what I am capable of doing. My children may not be everything I expect them to be, or everything they should be, but at least they're not stupid enough to get themselves caught. And while we do not always see eye to eye, I will help my children with any problem they may encounter. Unlike you.
TITUS: What are you saying to me, Victor?
VICTOR: I'm saying you've failed as a father. Yes, Δείμος (Deimos) was stupid enough to commit the crime and get caught, but you should have helped him, not sold him upriver. You do not do that to family.
TITUS: What is this? My older brother, the great and powerful Victor Κυριακής come to lecture me about family?
VICTOR: I've come to warn you, Τίτος. I know that Δείμος' parole is coming soon. Despite this incident, I've been able to make sure that it doesn't affect his chances too badly. When he's out, get your son under control, make him a proper Κυριακής man, or I will.
Victor stood and walked out of the room.
SALEM INN
Nyx had gone out to find more of her prey. Erebus was tasked with staying behind to watch the two teens. Had had handcuffed them, to each other and to the bed in the room.
JADE (whispering): Why did you come looking for me?
JOEY: What?
JADE (whispering): You hate me. Why did you try to find me?
JOEY: Sweetie, what are you talking about?
JADE: “Sweetie”? Joey, what are you...?
Joey kissed Jade. He got close enough to Jade's ear and whispered so Erebus wouldn't hear what he was about to say.
JOEY (whispering): Just go with it.
Joey cleared his throat.
JOEY: Honey, of course I came looking for you. I mean, you are my girl.
JADE: Right, of course. I knew you'd find me.
Erebus rolled his eyes.
EREBUS: Oh, isn't that sweet? Two little lovebirds here.
JOEY; Hey, man, you put us together. I'm surprised this adorable lady didn't warn you that there'd be an overload of cute.
JADE: Well, I didn't want to spoil the surprise for him, honey.
Joey and Jade got as close to each other as they could.
JOEY: So, big guy, let's talk, huh?
EREBUS: About what?
JOEY: Well, you brought us here. You put me and my little sweetness together. What's the plan from here?
EREBUS: As if I would tell you.
JOEY: True. I gotta say, your sister is a good liar. And speaking of lyres, that's one sweet tattoo on your wrist, man.
JADE: Honey, didn't this guy's siser tell us about a guy with a lyre while we were in her class.
JOEY: He sure did, sweetness. It was the lyre of...oh, what was his name again? Orpheus?
Erebus looked directly at Joey.
EREBUS: What do you know of Orpheus?
JOEY: Only what your sister told us. Here's the thing I don't get, though. What's a dude named Erebus doing going around with a tattoo of the lyre of Orpheus?
EREBUS: Never you mind. Soon, you'll have enough problems without having to worry about my father.
JOEY: Ah, so Orpheus was your father, then. I did wonder.
