Crimson Moon - Leah Crowe (best mystery novels of all time .TXT) 📗

turned around and looked up into her father’s room. The light was off. “He’s asleep.” She said, turning back around. “Ok, close your eyes.” She did. “What are you going to d-“ She was cut off by Phillip, for he had placed his finger over her mouth. “One more second. I’m almost done.” He said. After several more seconds, Phillip turned to her and said, “Ok, open your eyes.” What she saw took her breath away. Fireflies were dancing before her eyes, making intricate, synchronized movements. Then, they all stopped moving and spelled out her name with light. She gasped! “Ohmygosh! This is amazing! How did you do that? How did you get them to do what you wanted?” “Well, I’m kind of like the ‘Lord of the Night’ so I can control a lot of night creatures. Plus, they said they liked you so they were happy to oblige.” He said, smiling at her. “You can understand them!?” She gaped once again. “Yep, I can. You like?” he said, staring at his creation. “Like?! I LOVE IT!” She squealed, hugging him. He hugged her back fiercely, looking up; making sure Zeus hadn’t seen that. For Hades could see into Olympus. Zeus sat on his throne, looking bored. Hera was standing in front of him, screaming in his ear. Artemis and Cupid were shooting arrows at one another. Hades smiled. No one noticed Beth or recognized that she knew. He turned back to Beth, who was now asleep in his lap. She looked so calm and peaceful. He smiled and slowly picked her up, taking her inside. As he walked up the stairs, he started to think about the future. What should he do with her? He couldn't keep her a secret forever. Sooner or later, probably Athena, would find out. Then, it would all be over. He’d have to leave her or try to protect her until she died and he would go back to living alone, except for Persephone, who didn’t really love him in return and hated the underworld. All alone… Up until now, he had enjoyed his solitude, but now it didn’t seem so great a prospect. .

Beth started to squirm in his arms and he pretended to almost dropped her. “Dang girl! Don’t move around so much!” he yelled in a loud whisper. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled. “Sorry about that.” She whispered back up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Phillip had reached the top of the stairs and started to walk into Beth’s room, Beth still clinging to him. He plopped her on the bed and she made a pouty face. “Are you actually sweating? What are you trying to say, that I’m heavy?!” She punched him in the arm and he didn’t even flinch. Instead, he laughed and grabbed her fist. He began to kiss each finger, looking at how small her hand was in his own. Beth began to blush but didn’t pull her hand away. Phillip finally stopped and started to tuck her in her bed. “You know, I’m not five anymore. I can put myself to bed, Phillip.” She pouted once again. “Yes, yes I know you can but I’m not going to let you tonight.”

He bent down to turn off the light but suddenly froze, his whole body rigid. His pupils had dilated and his irises had turned blood red. Beth gasped and sat up. “Phillip? Hades? Ohmygosh, are you alright?” she said, panic was evident in her voice. He began to shake violently, knocking things off Beth’s dresser and smashing into books. Beth ran up and clung to him in what appeared to be a desperate hug. A sigh escaped his mouth and he was limp suddenly. He was once again her Phillip. His eyes were once again a soul searching black. Beth could lose herself staring up into his eyes that seemed to go on forever. She dragged him to her bed and placed him in the space she once lay at. Beth lay down beside him, making sure he had enough room and grabbed his hand, giving it a squeeze. She lay like that all night, holding his hand, willing for him to wake up. Beth was exhausted! She turned to the clock. It was 2:30 in the morning! All of a sudden, she felt the bed move. She turned around to see Phillip slowly waking up! He shifted and she heard a moan escape his lips. “Wha…What? Where am I?” he said. “Phillip, are you ok? Your eyes went all funky and then you started smashing things like you were possessed! It was really creepy! Then you just blacked out. You’ve been out for a couple of hours.” Beth replied. “Ugh. I feel like crap. That dang Zeus! That hurt!” Phillip said, moaning again. “What happened?” Beth said with concern. “Zeus was playing with his ‘toys’ and he got me with one of them!” Phillip said, annoyed, “I’m ok now. Gosh! It’s two in the morning! I really need to go! I’ll just go home via the underworld. See you at school in a couple of hours Beth! And thank you.” He said, smiling and he kissed her on her forehead. Then, like that, he was gone without a trace.


~Chapter 5~

The next day, Beth woke up to the sound of the alarm going off. Groggily, she pressed the snooze button and turned over to try to catch a few more Z’s. She finally dragged her feet out of bed when her father started screaming for her to come down. She dragged on the closest shirt to her and pulled on some pants, praying that they looked decent together. As she groped down the stairs, she began to think of Phillip. Was he alright? Was he hurt? It had been so strange last night and she could hardly believe all that had happened. Phillip was a god, literally. She had almost found her peace with her dad. Geez, if Mars had fallen down, she would just smile. Beth grabbed an apple and jumped into her car because she was going to be late for school…again. Pushing the speed limit, she made a sharp turn into the school parking lot. She burst through the doors, threw her things in her locker and shot through the halls and into her first period class. She looked madly around for Phillip, but he was not in his seat.

Chapter 6 -Phillip-
I smiled as I walked through the underworld. Home. I thought. I was almost directly under my earthly house. Soon, with the flick of my wrists, I would shoot through the layers of space and time and pop right into my house. I had reached my destination so I twisted my wrist slightly to the right and BAM I was shooting up, up , up through the layers of space and back onto Earth. In a heartbeat, I was standing in my living room, a little disoriented. I had always hated travelling that way. The space between the living and the dead was very liquid and uncomfortable. I looked down at my clothes. At least they were dry this time. That was an improvement from the norm. I started up the stairs to my room but was stopped by a huge trucker. He had huge muscles and an even bigger attitude! He was ruggedly handsome and seemed like the type who could easily win over female attraction. “Ares what are you doing here?” I asked, bored and annoyed. I didn’t want to have to deal with company right now. I was tired and pissed at Zeus for zapping me with one of his tester bolts. Ares let out a low chuckle. “You look like you want to bite my head off. I’d like to see you try that.” Ares let out an all-out laugh that shook the room. I snarled and pushed past him, for although he had lots of showcase muscles, I was one of the Big Three so I was infinitely stronger than him and he knew it. “Hey now, where ya going? I came here to talk to you and I don’t do that often!” he said yelling. “I don’t feel like talking right now, ok? I’m kind of in a bad mood in case you didn’t notice.” I said, turning to face him. “Ok, ok I’ll make it quick!” Ares said, “Athena and some others noticed the girl and are wondering what’s up with her? You sure have become attached to her, haven’t you? Now give us some answers or we will most certainly tell Zeus. As it is, he has his head in the clouds because he’s planning another party in a month and he brought home another goddess. Hera isn’t please at all.” I rolled my eyes, “I met Beth while I was checking a graveyard and she interested me. Her mother had just died so I decided to move my earth home to here so that I could find out more about her.” I explained, very annoyed by now, “Now get out of my house or I’ll send you to the underworld and leave you to find your way out!” “Geez man, I’m gone. By the way, that Beth chick is quite the hottie! Better hold on to her tight or I may walk by and she’ll be all mine!” Ares said booming and laughing at the same time as he left my house. By this time, I was exhausted! I walked, wearily to my bed and collapsed. Another reason why I hated traveling through time dimensions; it was a real energy drainer!

~Chapter 7~
Beth tried calling the number Phillip had given her but it just rang and rang and no one ever picked up. She was really starting to worry! What if something had happened last night after he left? What if he was lying somewhere on the streets or worse; in the Underworld where he seemed to have gone! She didn’t know a thing about the Underworld; how could she have, but she was certain something bad had happened! After what seemed like eternity, the last bell rang and Beth zipped out of homeroom and dashed down the steps to her car. She fumbled with the keys to unlock the door to her car, but her hands shook so much she couldn’t get them in! As soon as she was steady enough and had the key in, she flung open the door, stuck the key in the ignition and was off! She raced down streets as fast as the speed limit would allow until she had reached Phillip’s neighborhood. Beth looked around for his house and as soon as she spotted it, she parked the car in the driveway, leapt out of the car, and ran up to the front door. Strangely, it was unlocked. She slowly pushed it open and crept in, praying that Phillip was at his house and no one else. She searched the downstairs but could not find him so she walked up the spiral stairs and crept to his bedroom. Afraid of what she would see, Beth slowly turned the knob and opened the door. It was silent. She peered in. Nothing! Beth turned around to look into the hall to find another room to look in and found she was staring straight into Phillip’s eyes!

Beth screamed and jumped backwards, her hand flew up to her mouth! “Gosh Phillip don’t do that!” she yelled. “What are you doing here?” He asked. “Why the heck would you ask that?” Beth said, rather loudly for she was still jumpy from her scare and was peeved that he would act so nonchalantly when she had been worrying about him all day! “You weren’t at school and after what had happened last night, I was sure something had happened to you!