Accidental Servant: Chapter 2

((So, I decided on a title for the book. If any of you have a better idea you would like to suggest, please feel free to put it in the comments below. Also, I really do appreciate any constructive criticism for this chapter especially. I just feel like it's too rushed. Anyway, please enjoy!))

Let me get one thing clear, right now. After getting knocked out by some crazy dude who didn’t know the definition of “brakes,” waking up to his face pressed up against yours was not the most pleasant way of saying, “good morning!”

“AAH!” I shrieked, my fist ramming into his cheek out of pure reflex. You’d think that people would know something about personal space. He was lucky I hadn’t snapped his neck or broke a bone. But at least he was smart enough to tumble off of me. Sitting up quickly, I rubbed my knuckles and stared at the boy in front of me. “…who the heck are you?”

He looked about seventeen at the most, maybe around my age, with the looks of a Disney channel actor. You know what I’m talking about, those teenage boys who have the charming good looks of a young Johnny Depp. Perfectly messy yet neat black curls, white skin without a single trace of acne or freckles, teeth as white as pearls…

It made me want to punch him again.

“Ooooow!” he whined, rubbing the red spot growing on his cheek that was the shape of my fist, “What was that for?! I could kill you for this mortal!” I blinked a few times, letting my hands fall into my lap. Great, now he was a psychopath who had intentions of ending me. What else could possibly go wrong? And of course, he opened his eyes and glowered at me.

I don’t know what it was, but his eyes were terrifying. Pure violet, similar to the color of the grapes you see in cartoons except sharper. There was something hidden though, a tint of insanity and rage. Oh god, he was a psychopath. I was going to die by a black-haired teen who’s only weapon seemed to be his poisoned brain. How pitiful would that be to see in the morning paper?

Though it was almost impossible, I swallowed back my fear and held up a hand in a sort of surrendering gesture. At least that’s what they did in all the movies when there was a misunderstanding. “Hold on! I didn’t mean to hit you. I-I just got startled when you were so close, it just happened before I could stop it. My apologies.” After he didn’t answer for a few moments, I scooted closer and offered him a hand. “Are you hurt?”

The boy puffed up a cheek childishly and crossed his arms. “Of course! You punched me IN THE FACE!” He waved his arms sporadically, almost smacking me in the process. “I should turn you into a dolphin!” He paused, stroking his chin as I stared at him blankly. “No, a dolphin is too nice. You should become a satyr!!”

“Excuse me?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. God, this guy was crazy. Was I sure that it was me who got hit in the head? But then the smell hit me hard, almost enough to knock me over again.

Wine.

Oh no, I thought, biting my lip, He must be drunk off his mind! “Um, sir?” I gently put a hand on his shoulder to steady him, “Are you okay? You look a bit… off.” Geez, this is why I preferred to keep my mouth shut. I was going to end up being left for dead in the middle of the street.

He gave me a grin, brushing my hand away and gripping my forearm. Now that I was looking closer, his lips were stained red from what I could only guess as wine. Either that or he was wearing lipstick. Or both, that happens all the time. But I just opted to go with the first option. “I’m fine! And you can call me Dio, not Sir. I mean, who would do that to their kid? You’re stupider than the last Hercules.” Huh? Before I could open my mouth, his eyes widened. “He found me…”

“Dude…” I tried to yank my arm away without hurting him, but for a teen his size he had a vice of a grip. Maybe it was just the alcohol or something like that, but how on earth did he know my name? Did he look at my school ID when I was conked out? “There’s no one out here but us-”

Jinx! As I turned my head to prove my point, I came face-to-face with hell itself.

I know I know, you probably think I’m over exaggerating. But I swear on my mother’s grave, the thing in front of me was the embodiment of death. A black face, barely distinguishable since it was wrapped in a shroud of thick black smoke. In fact, his entire body seemed to be harsh smog. I swallowed hard, shuffling backward to get away but my back hit what I could only assume to be Dio’s body.

“Get out of my way,” he rasped, his voice sounding like he had gargled knives while smoking. It was obviously masculine, but I had no idea what the heck he was. Maybe I was just hallucinating, I hadn’t eaten that morning. Or I could still be unconscious! This was all just one big crazy dream…

Dio scowled, his fingernails digging into my skin. “Don’t you even dare, you have no idea what you’re messing with! This is Hercules himself!” To make clear how dangerous I was, he shook me like a ragdoll to a point my chin slammed into my sternum a few times. “And he’s my guardian!”

As my brain tried to settle inside of my skull, the figure chuckled. “Really? This wimpy little mortal is who you pick as your ‘guardian’? I’ve seen water nymphs with more strength and vigor. Even an ignorant little god like you would know better than to pick someone so young. And he’s not even a demigod!” He turned his head towards me, two red eyes appearing on his void of a face. They were bright with something I could only describe as pure bloodlust, enough to make me freeze in terror. “At least not one who is aware or worthy of his powers. He’s not close to an advisory I should take seriously.”

I probably could have said something heroic, a witty quip to make him realize I was a lot stronger than he thought. But as I tried to speak something intelligible, all that could come out was, “Uh… mweheh…” Yeesh, some “guardian” I was.

Wait, GUARDIAN? When was it decided that I was this weirdo’s bodyguard?

Dio smirked, slapping a hand over my mouth. “He’s just a bit confused right now, how would you react if a god revealed himself to you? We’re lucky his mortal mind isn’t turned into mush.” I couldn’t really blame him, even if his hand had the scent of garbage and sweat. Oh god, I could just feel my skin crawl with disgust. But if he let me speak, I probably would end up getting us both killed.

Amused, the man took a step back. “I couldn’t capture you in such a pitiful state. Just looking upon you is a sin against the muses themselves.” He flicked his hand, a blur of some sort of talons cutting through the smoke. “My minions could take care of you two in their sleep.” The teen scowled, his hair flaring a deep purple. My mind couldn’t take much more of this, I felt dizzy just looking at him. His skin seemed to glow gold for a few moments, those unnerving eyes of his filled with a violet fire.

I wasn’t sure why, but my body started to heat up. Steam singed the hair on my arms, a dull throbbing starting to spread throughout by veins. Dio’s head quickly snapped down to glance at me and he returned to normal. As soon as he did though, the burning sensation subsided before fading away completely. “Get out of here,” he ordered, his voice shaking slightly. Maybe he was just as scared as I was.

The figure shrugged, I could almost see the high and mighty sneer on his face. “Very well.” As he started to slowly let his body be whisked away by the wind like sand, his red irises bore into me. In the reflection of his eyes, I could see death and destruction. Bloody wars, painful plagues that wiped out nations, my darkest fears. I couldn’t help but tremble at his mere glance. “If you ever hope to become a challenge, live up to that name of yours.”

And with that, he disappeared in a cloud of gravel and fog. Traces of black powder-like ashes were taken by the breeze until there was no proof that he was even there. Dio finally removed his hand, sighing deeply. “Yeesh, I thought you would’ve been a little more intimidating. You know, flex your muscles or pull out a sword?”

“…what the heck was that thing?” I stuttered out, letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. My heart was struggling to return to its normal steady beat as it pounded against my ribcage. I hadn’t realized it, but I was thrumming out a reggaetón rhythm without even trying.

He shuddered, letting go of my arm. “Something evil, that’s all I know for sure. He’s been following me since I left Portugal.” Portugal? Why Portugal of all places? How long has this kid been traveling? I guess I couldn’t really call him a “kid” when he was obviously older than me.

The city had slowly turned to normal, cars now making their way down the street and young adults chatting as they headed towards their schools. It was eerie though. Like time had just suddenly reset or someone had put the city on rewind. After what I had just witnessed, I guess it would be normal to feel unsettled.

My head jerked over to him, the motion almost straining the muscles and giving me whiplash. “Why did you call me your ‘guardian?’” I crossed my arms. “Don’t you dare try to drag me into whatever hell you’re in. I don’t care what you did, but leave me out of it.”

He blinked at me a few times before letting out a small quick laugh. “HA! I forgot how amusing you mortals could be!” With a smirk on his lips, he pointed to my shoulder. “You’re the ever so lucky guardian of the great god Dionysus!” I was just about now wishing I had a Taser or pepper spray in my backpack, but something in the back of my mind started to nag me. Dionysus… I had heard the name before.

“You’re insane!” I scowled, slapping his hand away from me before wiping my own palms with my jacket. “Talk to me when you’re sober.” Dionysus, why did it sound familiar? It was starting to drive ME crazy. All he did was point again, that twisted grin plastered on his face. “What the heck are you smiling at-”

My eyes landed on it, and my body froze.

On the top of my forearm, a picture was now engraved in my skin. Swirling lines of black made a vine-like pattern, tight curls that could make someone dizzy. At the top, a bunch of purple grapes with three ivy green leaves. Two smaller clusters hung loosely at the bottom with four other leaves, each smaller than the higher one before it. As beautiful as the design was, I could feel my hands shaking violently. “W-what… how?” I stuttered, tearing my eyes away from the tattoo and looking to Dio for answers.

With a cocky leer in his eyes, he pressed his finger against the drawing. My skin tingled, the vines seeming to shudder at his presence. “You, Hercules Cain, are my new follower and devoted servant. Until I release you from my contract or you die, your sole purpose is to keep me safe and do my bidding.”

It was then I finally remembered where I had heard the name Dionysus. As a young child, mythology of any sort had been my passion. The legends, gods, monsters… They had all fascinated me. There was one Greek god that had always caught my attention in the stories, a young immortal that represented the essence of human spoils and their careless nature. He could bless someone with plentiful harvest or tear a man apart. Bipolar, a careless teen who could truly snap at any given moment.

Dionysus, god of wine, fertility, and madness. And he was my master for all eternity.