She had asked after him and what had he done? HE sat on his hands like a dunce instead of inviting her back immediately. But what had she thought of his home? He should have asked, but hadn't. It proved well enough to impress mortal women who wanted to be swept away in fantasy, but what was it to a queen? These were thoughts that made him pace. Even Igor was starting to get annoyed by his hesitation, asking if he'd be serving the woman in ( his lifetime or the next )

Phobetor loved New Orleans. It was one of those towns that had always had a mystique hovering around it. It was one of those cities that always had a good party going on somewhere every night. He could work his magic there, because there was always someone so superstitious about everything they couldn't sleep right. ( Sadly, he couldn't take all the credit. )

It was rare this time of year that he was able to sit down and put his feet up on the tasseled hassock in his study. Which was why, as he settled into the cushy plumpness of his red velvet chair, Santa began mentally reviewing his to-do list for today. Did he really have time to enjoy his peppermint hot cocoa, or had he forgotten something that would require his attention?

( The List )

Knowing it was long overdue, Hel made her way to Transylvania. Somehow, even based on the little knowledge gleaned about him, she was not the least bit surprised by the location. Makaria had given her the address, and Hel had smirked to herself. Transylvania, God of Nightmares...leave it to him to want to go with something so cliche. The boy took the horror genre to a whole new level.

( Now, standing before his home... )

There was absolutely no way to announce your arrival at Phobetor's castle without feeling a bit ridiculous, at least not as far as Thanatos was concerned. He and Hades were already a few drinks into the evening when they arrived, though, to be fair, castle visits had never been on the agenda. Phobetor was supposed to meet them. In a bar. A bar that was not in his Transylvanian castle. But, after a few drinks, it became clear that he and Hades were being stood up. They might as well have been wearing prom dresses and headgear. Thankfully, or perhaps unfortunately, with a few neat drinks already warming their godly insides, neither one of them decided to take a hint.

( And that was what led Than to the looming castle door, blatantly refusing to ring the doorbell. )

Phobetor was having a strange day. Nothing seemed to make him feel better. He laid in his bed with two new tourists. They'd hopped over from Germany. They were fair-haired and long-legged and boring. Maybe he should have sent her a message? Perhaps, he should just pop onto her doorstep for a visit? But that wasn't how Phobetor dealt with women, not that she was just any woman. ( This was Hel. )

Her father's calls had fallen on deaf ears. Well, not deaf; she certainly heard them. But Hel ignored them as she broke into a run, slipping into Concept a short distance away and reappearing in her bedroom.

( It took hours for the tears to subside )

Makaria had a few problems. The first problem is that she never seemed to have any time to herself, given that she was a Death Goddess she almost always had somewhere to be and someone to see. But she could split herself up, and had to. Often. The second problem was that she had certain duties to uphold because she was the daughter of Hades. No problem, she could act perfectly perfect when she needed to be. She just preferred not to simply be known as Hades' daughter. Problem solved, she was going to spend more time out of the Underworld and more time meeting new people and making it on her own. She had a house after all! And pets! And some mortal friends! The third problem was not so easily fixed. She really really hadn't spent much time with her other Immortal friends in awhile. The two earlier problems led to this third one and it was exactly why she was wandering around trying to find her friend Phobetor!

( Underworlders had to stick together! )