Apple of Aphrodite Ch. 02

"RUN!"

The Goddess's words lit a fire underneath Hector, causing him to leap to his feet just as the dog pounced. It moved with lightning speed, leaving him helpless and only able to watch as it came barreling toward him in what felt like slow motion. He braced himself, but before it landed Kayla's backpack met it mid-air, sending it sprawling a few feet away.

"Let's go!" Kayla grabbed Hector by the arm and ran in Aphrodite's direction. The Goddess waited for them to pass her, her hand held up in a protective stance.

"Into the forest," ordered Aphrodite, "and don't stop. I'll be close behind."

The deranged dog was back on its feet and convulsing, its growls becoming monstrous echoes with each passing second. There was a sickening crunch, and two bulbous stumps bubbled underneath its skin, flanking both sides of its head. Suddenly blood, muscle, and bone all erupted at once, creating three identical heads were there had previously been one.

Hector and Kayla couldn't help but stop a moment, their curiosity getting the better of them.

"What the fuck is that!" cried Kayla.

"I said RUN!" Aphrodite pulled her arm back and forced it forward, sending another invisible force towards the dog's direction. This time however it knew what to expect, meeting her magic with a heavy howl that broke it apart. The howl seemed to turn to an insidious laughter, and with three synchronized barks the air vibrated, and suddenly it was five times its size.

"Fuck..."

The Goddess of Love and Beauty knew she was outmatched. She may have been a god, but love was her battlefield, not combat. And so she ran, following close behind Hector and Kayla as the three-headed hound pursued them into the nearby forest.

"Keep running!" she telepathized to the mortals. "Don't stop. Whatever you do, don't stop!"

Hector and Kayla couldn't disobey even if they wanted to. Hand in hand, they ran, not knowing where they were going, propelled by adrenaline and a terror they had never felt before. They could hear the monster behind them, its growls reverberating off the surrounding trees.

We have to lose it, Aphrodite thought. If not, Hector and Kayla are doomed.

Realizing what she had to do, the Goddess turned around and threw her arms out. Whatever happened, she would not die, and if it could buy them some time, it was worth it.

"Hound of Hades, be GONE!" she screamed, sending out a wave of strength she hoped would hold it back. But to her dismay, the beast leapt into the air before her magic could reach it, propelling itself with its hind legs a hundred feet into the sky, over Aphrodite, landing with a thunderous thud directly in front of Kayla and Hector, stopping them dead in their tracks.

Kayla screamed and lost her balance, pulling Hector down with her. The monstrous dog closed the distance, taking slow methodical steps towards them, almost as if to taunt them. Its black eyes were affixed on Hector, betraying its purpose.

It wants me.

Compelled by a bravery that surprised even him, Hector scrambled to his feet and slowly moved away from Kayla. Sure enough, the beast followed, showing no interest in his best friend, nor the Goddess fast approaching.

"Hector!" yelled Aphrodite. She pulled Kayla to her feet, holding her in a protective embrace as she watched the creature snarl at her lover. Thick green globs of drool dripped from its three massive mouths, sizzling as it hit the grass.

"Aphrie," whispered Hector. "Do something..."

"I...I can't. My magic..."

"Please, you have to help him!" cried Kayla.

Tears of fear pooled in Hector's eyes. "I don't wanna die."

"You won't," said the Goddess. "It won't end like this. It can't..."

It can't, she assured herself. It can't, we just started. Please. Hera. Athena. Someone. Here me.

Just then the hound shot out its front paw, tripping Hector onto his back and pinning him to the ground. It leaned down, its middle head inches away from his face, stinking acrid breath filling his nostrils as it opened its jaws for the kill.

"NOOOO!" cried Aphrodite and Kayla.

Suddenly there was a whoosh sound, almost like a gust of wind, forcing Hector and the beast apart. Between them stood a woman in silver armor, glowing like the sun, a golden sword gleaning in her right hand. The creature reared back to attack, but before it could the woman raised the sword and slashed at it in three quick movements, all in less than a second. It howled, all three-heads, before they fell off its massive body simultaneously. Fountains of blood gushed from the stumps as it slumped to the ground, dead.

"Hector!" Kayla broke herself from Aphrodite's embrace and rushed over to him. "Oh god, I thought you were gonna die. Are you okay?"

Hector took a moment to compose himself. "I...I think so."

"What was that?"

"Cerberus," said the armored woman. "Lap dog of Hades.

"Guardian of the underworld," Hector muttered under his breath in realization.

"Yes." The woman turned to face them, and with a flip of her hand the golden sword disappeared into thin air. "And if it wasn't made clear already, it was sent to kill you."

"Why?" asked Hector.

She glanced behind them, to Aphrodite, approaching with faint footsteps. "I think you know."

"You came." The Goddess of Love stopped and knelt at the armored woman's feet. "I owe you a great debt."

The woman smiled, and drew her hand across Aphrodite's cheek. "You owe me nothing, sister. This is his doing, not yours."

Just then Hector realized that he recognized her, a familiar face framed by long flowing brown hair.

"Mrs. Fuller?" he asked in disbelief.

She turned to face him. "For a time, yes. But you can call me Athena. Goddess of Wisdom and War."

No way, Hector thought, though he wasn't sure why he was surprised at this point. The day had proven to be full of surprises, and it had just gotten started.

"I'm sure you have many questions." The Goddess approached, and held out her hands. "But first you two must come with me. For you've no idea the hell storm you've sailed into."

To be continued...