The Goddess Hunt

By Aimée Carter

Get swept up in this companion novella to Aimée Carter’s popular Goddess Test series! Greek myths have never been so modern, romantic…and thrilling! A perfect quick read set during the summer between The Goddess Test and Goddess Interrupted.

A vacation in Greece sounds like the perfect way for Kate Winters to spend her first sabbatical away from the Underworld...until she gets caught up in an immortal feud going back millennia. Castor and Pollux have been on the run from Zeus and Hades’s wrath for centuries, hiding from the gods who hunt them. The last person they trust is Kate, the new Queen of the Underworld. Nevertheless, she is determined to help their cause. But when it comes to dealing with immortals, Kate still has a lot to learn....

Originally published in 2012.

Don’t miss any of the epic and exhilarating action in the GODDESS TEST series by Aimée Carter!

The following is the complete Goddess Test series of three full-length novels and six companion novellas, in ideal reading order:

The Goddess Test

The Goddess Hunt (Novella)

Goddess Interrupted

The Goddess Queen (Novella)

The Lovestruck Goddess (Novella)

Goddess of the Underworld (Novella)

God of Thieves (Novella)

God of Darkness(Novella)

The Goddess Inheritance

“A fresh take on the Greek myths adds sparkle to this romantic fable.”
—Cassandra Clare on The Goddess Test

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jun 26, 2017
• ISBN: 9781488079320

Aimée Carter

Aimée Carter was born in 1986 and raised in Michigan, where she currently resides. She started writing fan fiction at eleven, began her first original story four years later, and hasn’t stopped writing since. Besides writing and reading, she enjoys seeing movies, playing with her puppies, and wrestling with the puzzles in the paper each morning.

Book preview

POLLUX

The cave wound upward through the earth, and Pollux grasped Castor’s hand as he led him across the uneven ground. Cerberus’s snarls echoed through the tunnel, and though Pollux would’ve rather let the hellhound feast on his own innards than admit it, fear coursed through him like adrenaline. Hades’s massive three-headed guardian of the Underworld couldn’t hurt the dead, but Pollux wasn’t afraid of a dog. He was afraid of the god who trailed him.

So maybe breaking his brother out of the Underworld wasn’t exactly the smartest idea Pollux had ever had, but the council hadn’t given him much of a choice.

Come on, he said, pulling his brother’s arm. It isn’t far now.

You said that three miles ago. Castor stumbled, but Pollux was there in an instant, pulling him back to his feet.

And now we’re three miles closer than we were before. Stop complaining and start running.

They staggered through the cave together, and behind them, Cerberus’s growls grew louder. Neither brother said a word as they climbed, drawing closer to safety with each step. One foot in front of the other, again and again and again. That was all they could do.

Cerberus was gaining on them. His breath blew warm on the back of Pollux’s neck, and it reeked of bone and blood and death. Pollux urged his brother forward, half dragging him now. At last the darkness gave way to a faint glow, and his heart pounded. So close. So damn close. Just a little farther and—

Castor cried out.

Whirling around, Pollux’s insides turn to ice. Cerberus loomed behind them now, close enough to reach out and touch; and Castor’s leg was caught between his teeth. Didn’t matter that Castor couldn’t be injured, not when he was already technically dead. If they lingered too long, capture would mean proper death this time. And permanent separation.

Pollux didn’t think. Mustering all of the strength he had, he drew his arm back and punched the dog in the mouth. One more reason for Hades to hunt them down and skin them alive, but it did the trick. Cerberus whined and dropped Castor, and the dog pawed at his injured jaw while the other two heads growled.

All right? said Pollux, helping his brother up.

I’m fine, gasped Castor. Did you just—

Yell at me later. Let’s go.

The light grew stronger as the stench of Cerberus’s breath grew fainter. Finally, finally they reached the entrance to the cave, and Pollux whooped. They’d done it. They’d actually done it, and at last they were safe. Or at least what passed for it.

Together he and his brother burst into the daylight, and he squinted, blinded by the sun. The leaves rustled in the summer breeze, and Pollux’s heart soared. It didn’t matter that he’d gone against the council of Olympians. It didn’t matter that by doing so, he’d severed all ties to his father. It didn’t matter that they would be hunted for as long as they remained on the run.

What mattered was that he and Castor were together, and nothing, not even the gods, not even the cruelest destiny the Fates could imagine, would break them apart again. Not as long as Pollux had a breath in his body.

Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted Hades’ silhouette among the cavern rocks. The surface wasn’t his realm. He couldn’t pursue them out here. But one toe back inside that cave, and they would be his.

The wind grew still. Without warning, a bolt of lightning sizzled through the air, striking a tree only feet from where they stood. Castor jumped backward toward the mouth of the cave, toward Hades and eternal separation, but Pollux pulled his brother back into the open. He would have rather endured a thousand lightning strikes than willingly return his brother to their captor.

A great thunderclap echoed through the endless sky, rattling Pollux’s teeth, and they exchanged a look. Zeus never missed. He too knew the consequences of stepping back into that cave, and there was no doubt in Pollux’s mind that the King of the Gods would stop at nothing to defend his pride.

Taking heed of his father’s warning, Pollux grasped Castor’s hand and ran.

KATE

Six months. One hundred and eighty-four days. That was how long I had to stay away from Eden, where Henry, my brand-new husband, waited for me to return in September. Looking forward, it seemed like forever, and the idea of being away from him for so long made me ache.

But I hadn’t had much of a choice. Six months on, six months off. That was the arrangement we’d made when I’d agreed to stay at his manor in Eden in exchange for him keeping my sick mother alive. Crazy as it sounded, Henry was really Hades, God of the Underworld, and he was more than capable of it.

I didn’t regret our deal, but after six months of falling in love with him, facing another half a year without him felt like torture. But he’d insisted, and in the end, it was probably for the best that I had a chance to step away from my immortal life and remember what it was like to be human.

During the first seventy-two hours away, I didn’t have much time to miss him, mostly because I hadn’t gone alone. My best friend, James, had agreed to come with me, and together we’d set off for Greece. He wasn’t Henry, but he knew exactly how to cheer me up and get me excited about our summer.

James had our whole trip planned out, and on the plane from New York City to Athens, I’d daydreamed about what the next six months would bring. Tours of ancient ruins. Mouthwatering Greek cuisine. Entire days spent lounging on the beach. And no longer having to look over my shoulder, wondering when someone was going to try to kill me.

Getting lost in a forest our first day there was the last thing I’d had in mind.

You seriously have no idea where we are? I said, trudging after James. Three hours after we’d split from our tour group, we were still wandering through the woods outside of Athens, more lost than I’d ever been in my life. James, however, looked like we were taking a light stroll, his hands shoved in his pockets as he admired the

Reviews for The Goddess Hunt

[jljaina · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

**Warning: Spoilers ahead if you have not yet read The Goddess Test!**


This takes place immediately after the events in The Goddess Test (book 1). Kate and James are off to Greece to begin Kate's six month sabbatical from Henry. Them going together sort of bother's me a bit with James' known interest in her. And she JUST got married to Henry! Why couldn't it have been Ava that went with her or something?

Anyways my initial thoughts were Greece is a great choice place. it would give her the opportunity to learn a bit more about the legends of the gods that are now a part of her life. And sure enough she runs into to brothers that leave her question much of what she thinks about them. especially Henry (Hades) and Walter (Zeus).

One thing that I wish happened would be a bit of a recap as to who everyone is. Since the gods no longer go by their original Greek names it can throw me off a bit trying to remember who they all are again. Also the writing seemed a bit shallow and choppy. compared to the books. Like maybe it was quickly written and put out on a whim. Nothing severe or anything. I still enjoyed the book, but it did seem a bit off from the first book and what little I have started of book 2.

Yet overall I enjoyed this short interlude for the series. Gives us a bit of insight into Kate's personality a bit more and also shows us some errors in the way of the gods that Kate will likely be facing more of as the series progresses. also we get a bit of Henry's perspective in this! I really liked that change and hope to see more in future books here!

[jami_leigh · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Plot: 2 stars
Characters: 3 stars
Style: 3 stars
Pace: 3 stars

Suffers from much the same problem as most interlude books. That is to say, they never result in anything changing or growing at all. You could read the rest of the books and not know this exists, and it wouldn't add or remove anything from the main books.

[laneliterati · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A strong short story set between books 1 and 2. Definitely for fans of the series but not necessary for understanding the other books.

[alcarinqa_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A cute novella giving us a glimpse into how Kate spent her summer away from Henry and the Underworld and showing us another side to the goody-two-shoes Gods and Goddesses we saw in The Goddess Test. Kate still has a lot to learn, but I think she gets a good taste of what her life will be like as Queen as the Underworld in this story.Although the shortness of this story minimised my exposure to Kate, I still found her a little annoying. This is a girl who has been thrust into the world of Greek mythology, and she’s somehow convinced herself that the Greek immortals must be ‘good’ even though they have proved time and time again in mythology – their history – that are anything but. She also expects them to display human compassion and empathy, which I consider a bit stupid because we are talking about being who have never been mortal, and over all the millennia they have existed, have been moved to help humans a handful of times. But nope, Kate wants them to act like humans, give people chances and generally be nice. Although she does represent a new perspective on the Council, but I still think she should really think about what she’s expecting from her colleagues. What annoyed me even more was Henry’s compliance with her simpering demands, but then, he’s a husband trying to keep his strange marriage together for all of eternity.I loved the twins, finally some interesting characters appear from Greek myth! I love that they couldn’t keep their shirt on (but I found Kate’s ogling a bit annoying – she is married now!!). I think I enjoyed Castor a little bit more than Pollux, only because he seemed more stable than his twin. I’m now even more firm in my assertion that James is bad news – I really hate that he keeps hitting on a married woman! (Yes I am harping on about the marriage a lot, but for me marriage means something, and Kate shouldn’t be ogling other men, and James shouldn’t be hitting on her, because no matter how young Kate is, she agreed knowingly to marry Henry and now I believe she, and everyone else, needs to honour that).You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.

[pacey1927 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have had luck with the last two short stories I have read. "Home" by Stacia Kane was a wonderful and complete addition to her Downside series and now "The Goddess Hunt" is another winner! I find it a rare treat when authors provide a fully complete short story to their existing series. So often these shorts feel more like fillers and aren't worth the purchase price. "The Goddess Hunt" was more than worth a couple of dollars to read and enjoy. I read it straight away after finishing "The Goddess Test". Kate is off on a trip to Greece with James since its now her six months to do whatever she wants away from Hades and the Underworld. But the Gods are apparently going to always be a part of her life from here on.This time James appears to have a motive to the Greece trip. He is searching for the Gemini twins Pollax and Castor. The brothers love each other but the Gods (Zeus) has them separated forevermore...at least until they ran away centuries ago. But Zeus is hot on their trail and wants them back...separated once more. But Kate is a good girl and this breaks her heart. And while she may not be meant to see Henry, he is still around and trying to help her. It was really good to see more of James, Henry, Kate and Zeus. Kate learns a rough lesson: the Gods can be unfair. Is this really the life that she wants for her eternity? "The Goodess Hunt" adds to the series. It was a complete story with a final resolution. I was entertained. That is what I ask for in a short story or novella. If you enjoyed "The Goddess Hunt" I am sure you will find this one well worth purchasing.

[abibliophobic1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Because this was a very short and sweet read, I’ll try and write my review in the same manor. While I don’t believe you necessarily need to read Goddess Hunt before delving into book 2 in the Goddess Test series, this quick read is fun and a great tide over while you wait for Goddess Interrupted!Goddess Hunt begins and we find Kate traveling with James (Hermes) to Greece for a vacation during her six months off from Eden Manor… and Henry. While Kate thinks this will be a normal vacation with site seeing and tanning, she quickly finds herself in the middle of a millennia old struggle between the Gods. Pollux (Lux) has just rescued his brother Castor (Casey) from the Underworld. Now, both boys are on the run from the council of the Gods who are hell-bent on capturing them. Kate and James find the boys in the woods near Athens and Kate finds that the Gods that she has idolized may not be as good as she had once thought. She fights her way into the family struggle to help save the brotherly bond that Lux and Casey have for one another and just might damage her relationship with Henry in the process.This book took me just short of an hour to finish and I was pleasantly surprised. I have to say I didn’t have very high expectations for the novella because I thought of it as a marketing plot to build hype for book 2 to come out. While this may have been the case, I loved reading this story. Once again we are treated to Carter’s wonderful writing and her sarcastic wit. I definitely can’t wait to read more of her work.One of my favorite parts of the story was reading from Henry’s point of view. You were able to see his internal struggle with upholding the laws he has spent all of eternity upholding and his need to protect Kate and keep her happy. Her determination to make things right and his love for her will definitely turn out to cause some rifts within the council in later books. Kate brings a fresh take to the situations that the council must rule over and I think all of the Gods are a little apprehensive about what changes Kate’s presence will bring about in their rule.Over all I really did enjoy this novella and it was a great way to hold me over until Goddess Interrupted is released and has made me even more excited!8 out of 10

[ahandfulofconfetti · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

After the events of The Goddess Test, Kate is on her six-month sabbatical from the Underworld, and has decided to vacation in Greece with her best friend James (aka Hermes). However, James drops her smack dab in the middle of a millennia-old feud between Castor and Pollux, the Gemini twins, and the gods of the council, which occurred when Pollux broke Castor out of the Underworld. Kate is a lot more sympathetic to the twins, and decides that she must help them remain together, even though it goes against the ruling of the gods (particularly Hades and Zeus).Let me first say that I didn't think The Goddess Test was that great of a book. Being a huge fan of the myth of Hades and Persephone - I used the tale as my first telling in my Storytelling class - I had major issues with the way the mythology was used, and the "tasks" (for lack of a better word) that Kate had to accomplish in order to become Henry's wife. Some of these same issues are alive and well in The Goddess Hunt, and will most likely be present for the remainder of the series. However, I liked this novella well enough, especially the chapters from Henry's point of view, that I'm going to rate it exactly as I did The Goddess Test. There were some definite things I didn't like - again, with the inconsistency of her mythology - but I will say that Kate was pretty awesome in standing up to Walter. She's got a definite backbone, even if I can't always stand her decision-making.Also, just a note: this isn't a stand alone story. If you haven't read The Goddess Test this won't make much sense. Just an fyi!

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kate is on her six month sabbatical from the Underworld after passing the tests and becoming immortal. She is in Greece with James when she runs into Castor and Pollux and gets involved with their problems. Zeus (Walter) has gifted Castor with Pollux's immortality but then separated the brothers by sending him to the Underworld. Pollux broke him out and then have been on the run for 1000 years but both Walter and Henry are getting close. Kate intervenes and Henry takes her side. Lots of mythology in this one and a chance to see the not-so-positive human side of the Greek gods.Definitely a book to be read after The Goddess Test. You would be lost without that backstory.