Before they started their travels, Shane suggested that they make a stop. He was surprised when Avery didn’t object. Then she made a point of telling him it was so that she could make sure Noah wasn’t too injured.

She and Noah followed him to the apartment where he and his father lived. It was a nice building, and Shane was a little self-conscious as they rode the elevator up. He had never liked bringing friends over, and Avery and Noah were very different from the rich kids he hung out with at school.

Shane held the apartment door open for them. “The bathroom’s down the hall.” He pointed. “There should be a first aid kit under the sink. We should probably take supplies for the road as well.”

“Yeah.” Avery said curtly, already leading Noah toward the bathroom.

When he heard the door close, Shane sighed and sank onto the couch. He would have to write a note for his father, but he figured he had a bit of time. For now, he needed to let things sink in.

“Shane?”

He jumped and looked over the back of the couch. Then he swore.

Of course his father was home. The one day the busy movie producer wasn’t swamped with meetings was the day Shane brought strangers home after a fight with a monster.

At least he might be able to get some answers from his father.

“You should be at school.” His father glanced in the direction of the bathroom. Shane could hear Avery talking. “What’s going on?”

“I found out who my mother is.” Shane muttered.

“Oh.” His father sank down onto the couch beside him. “I, uh, I guess you have some questions.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Shane couldn’t help but glare at his father. “My mother is a goddess. Don’t you think that’s something I should know?”

His father accepted his anger with a calm, sad face. “I wanted you to have a normal life.”

“That’s crap!” It also sounded like a cliché line from one of the movies his father had been involved in. “I’m a model. That’s pretty fricken far from normal.”

“But you were able to choose that for yourself.” His father countered, leaning forward. “I didn’t want you to feel like you had to become…” He trailed off.

“A hero?” Shane guessed. From the little he knew about mythology, he was pretty sure demigods always set out to be heroes.

His father nodded. “I didn’t want you to be in danger.”

Shane sighed. “It doesn’t matter if I’m a hero or not. I’m already in danger.”

He told his father about the Empousa, and about meeting Hermes. As he shared the story, his father’s expression changed to one of horror. When he mentioned that there would be more monsters, his father looked like he was going to cry.

“How can I keep you safe?” He demanded when Shane was finished.

“I have to leave.” Shane nodded in the direction of the bathroom. “Noah and Avery are demigods too. Noah thinks there’s a safe place in the east.”

“Thinks?”

“It’s better than staying here.” He set his expression. “I’m going to go with them.”

His father sighed. “Alright.” He crossed the room to the desk in the corner and opened the bottom drawer. After some fiddling, a lid swung open. His father picked something up and brought it back to the couch. “Here.”

He handed Shane a credit card. Shane was confused, because he already had one.

“It’s unlimited.” His father explained. Shane’s current credit card had a thousand dollar limit. “I don’t want money to be the reason you or your friends don’t get where you’re going.”

Shane looked at his father and smiled. “Thanks.” He reached out and gave him a hug.

“Promise me something, Shane.” His father whispered.

Shane looked up. His father looked grief-stricken. “What?”

“Promise you won’t be a hero.” He grasped Shane’s hand. “The children of Aphrodite are rarely heroes, and it never ends well for those who are.”