“No,” I cry as several guards push their way into the room at Hades’ order.

  The guards grab him, and he struggles against them, but it is no use as they pull him off the bed and away from me. I watch as his gaze narrows on Cerberus, who just smirks back at him, and my stomach twists with disgust.

  I should have known better than to think trusting him was ever an option.

  “Please,” I beg Hades, as I step toward him. “Please, have mercy on Eros, he was only here to make sure I was okay. He wasn’t trying to steal me away.”

  Hades ignores my pleas as he watches the guards drag the pale god out into the hallway. Once Eros is removed from the room, Hades shuts the door and turns to face Cerberus again.

  They ignore me, Hades nodding once to Cerberus as tears slip from my eyes.

  “You were right to come to me with this, Cerberus,” Hades says. “I knew you were loyal, but you have outdone yourself this time. Now, tell me. What reward would you like for this? Simply name it and it shall be yours.”

  Cerberus pauses to mull this over for a second before his gaze shifts to me.

  “Thank you, my king. If it would please you, I would like nothing more than to do my duty by you. Allow me to take over as the mortal’s watch, to make sure no one else attempts to come for her.”

  “Hmm,” Hades says, eyeing Cerberus for a moment. “Very well. From this moment on, I entrust her care to you. You will be her keeper, ensuring she remains safely here until I state otherwise.”

  “Of course, my king,” Cerberus says with a bow of his head.

  Hades starts toward the door only to stop and turn back to look at me. I meet his gaze, not caring to hide my anger or frustration as I stare up at him.

  “And you,” he says, giving me a once over, his expression strange. “You will be joining me for dinner tonight ... alone. See to it that you make yourself presentable.”

  Before I can reply, not that I think it would do any good, Hades has thrown open the door and swept from the room. I watch him disappear before slowly turning to glare at Cerberus as we’re left standing alone in my room.

  I scowl at him, even as a mischievous smile pulls at the corner of his lips. The silence stretches between us, and yet he only seems to grow more amused by the moment.

  Finally, I can’t take it any longer.

  “What have you done?” I hiss. “What will Hades do to Eros? I suppose I shouldn’t be so shocked to find that you can be as cruel and cold as your master, but I had hoped …”

  I trail off as confusion contorts his face, and he cocks his head to one side.

  “What?” I demand as he remains quiet.

  “He will be brought to the dungeons to await punishment,” he explains. “As is fitting for anyone who tries to steal from the king.”

  “Why?”

  Cerberus frowns at this, though mischief seems to burn within his eyes at my annoyance.

  “I have simply done my duty,” he answers. “It was Eros who was caught crossing a line. Who knows what he would have done with you, had I not led Hades here. Now I can make sure that you are looked after and properly guarded as my master decides how best to handle you.”

  “How did you even know Eros would be here?” I ask, my eyes narrowing as I take a step toward him. “He flew in as a small bird, so how exactly did you know that you would find him here?”

  Of course, I already know how, but I want him to admit that he betrayed Eros. That he is not to be trusted.

  The mischief dies in his eyes as he stares at me; his silence is all I need to know that he would rather not have this discussion.

  But I want him to admit it.

  I need him to.

  “Cerberus,” I say. “How did you know that Eros would be here? Tell me.”

  Again, I am surprised by the command in my voice, but I don’t back down.

  “Because I told him where to find you,” he answers without hesitation, almost as if he’s suddenly eager to answer. His eyes widen in surprise as the words leave his mouth. Then they narrow on me as he takes a threatening step toward me. “What are these dark powers of yours, mortal?”

  Dark powers?

  Confusion washes over me as I stare up at him. I open my mouth to try to answer but realize that I have no explanation to offer. He watches me for a moment longer before snorting and turning on his heel.

  “Clean up, I will be back to collect you for dinner.”

  With that, he storms out of the room, slamming and locking the door behind him before I have a chance to mutter another word.

  19

  Cerberus

  Shivers of pleasure run up and down my spine, and I am forced to physically shake them off as I make my way down the tower stairs and away from the tiny mortal.

  If she is, in fact, mortal at all.

  I do not understand what has come over me, but I cannot push her from my mind. Nor do I not want to.

  One command, and I wanted nothing more than to obey.

  Two, and I wanted to lay down my life for her.

  A single touch, and I knew I was hers.

  With Hades being my master, I have to careful not to reveal this bond to him. I am not supposed to be able to form fated bonds, or so I had been led to believe.

  But obviously, that is not the case.

  Still, Hades must continue to believe that I am loyal to him, and only him.

  And as for the mortal, I must do my best not to let her discover the hold she has on me.

  At least, for the time being.

  She must be innocent if …

  When I am forced to betray my king for her.

  My fated mate.

  20

  Hazel

  As expected, I am left to my own devices for the rest of the day. My mind spins as I pace back and forth across the room, mulling over everything that’s happened so far.

  Worry eats away at me as my thoughts turn to Eros. I can’t help but picture him locked away in a damp cell, bruised and beaten, as he awaits his punishment. Everything seems so much worse now that I know even the gods seem capable of dying.

  Whatever an immortal death entails.

  It’s all just another reminder of how out of my depths I am here.

  I also need to be wary of Cerberus, as far as I can tell, he is not to be trusted. I cannot begin to imagine what made Eros think it possible in the first place.

  The hellhound is even more dangerous than I would have guessed. Especially with his obvious desire to please his master … whatever the cost.

  Frustrated, and nearly driven mad by my own thoughts, I turn back to the bed and reach under the mattress to pull out my hidden book. Leaving the parchment behind, I settle on the floor by the window to try to read in an effort to distract myself.

  Opening it, I close my eyes as I lift the book to my nose, breathing in the warm, well-loved scent of the worn pages. Sighing, I lean back against the wall and turn to the first story.

  Though it takes several minutes to lose myself within the words, I soon find my heart and mind calming as the stories carry me far, far away from here. The book was obviously meant for a young girl, but the fairytales still manage to bring a smile to my face; however bittersweet.

  I inhale sharply, peering about the dim light of the room as my mind scrambles to remember where I am. Glancing down, I realize I must have fallen asleep, the book of fairytales laying half-open in my hand on the floor beside me ... and a blanket tucked in around my waist.

  My heart leaps in my chest as I realize that someone must have come in while I was sleeping. Before this thought has time to settle, I’m suddenly reminded of Hades’ no-so-optional invitation to dinner.

  Panic crashes through me as I throw the blanket off and pull myself up onto my feet. Looking out the window, I groan in frustration.

  I don’t have much time.

  Hurrying across the room, I quickly re-wrap my book and stuff it under the mattress, muttering a grateful prayer that whoever came in didn’t take it. It’s only as I straighten that I realize a new dress has been lain out on the bed for me.

  At least I know what I’ll be wearing.

  Grabbing it, I make my way into the bathroom, quickly stripping off my nightgown and sinking into the steaming waters of the bath. I viciously scrub at my skin and hair, as I rush to clean myself as best I can before I’m sent for.

  Stepping out of the bath, I wrap a towel around myself just as I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror and can't help but sigh.

  I look even less alive than I feel. Wet hair hangs in a tangled mess around me; my face is sallow and making my dark circles appear more prominent than ever before. The lack of food and good sleep certainly isn’t helping my cause.

  Turning away from my reflection, I finish towel drying before pulling on the new dress. Again, it’s a dark midnight blue, but this time it also has intricate silver detailing that catches in the light, however dim, and makes it sparkle like a starlight night.

  I’m almost shocked by how modest the dress is, but not at all displeased. The last thing I want right now is to try to seduce Hades. This may be the one chance I get to spend time with him on my own, and yet I can’t seem to bring myself to care.

  Not after everything I just learned from Eros.

  I need more time to plan, to hope that Death will come and prove me wrong before it’s too late to save myself.

  Braiding my hair, I take one last look at my reflection before perching on the edge of the bed to wait. I don’t have to wait more than a few minutes before the door opens.

  Cerberus ducks inside, ready to escort me to dinner as promised.

  “Come.”

  I stare at him for a long moment before rising to obey and nervously smoothing out the skirt of my dress. Suddenly, I wonder if I’ve made a mistake not trying to make myself more presentable.

  “You look lovely,” Cerberus comments as if reading my mind, and I glance up at him in surprise. “The dress suits you. Now, come.”

  I say nothing in response, unwilling to waste any more words on him. This seems like the safest route, given that he might as well be Hades’ eyes and ears.

  Yet, he seems eager to strike up a conversation with me as we leave my room behind.

  “What do you think of the palace?” he asks, as we make our way down the stairs. Again, I don’t say anything. I can feel his gaze shift to me, but I keep my eyes fixed forward and my head held high as we move.

  He lets out a small snort of annoyance, and I have to fight back a small smile at this unexpected prize. We walk on in blessed silence for a few minutes before he speaks again.

  “I hope the blanket was enough to keep you warm.”

  “That was you?” I ask, unable to stop the question from slipping past my lips.

  He grins at this, his sharp canines glinting in the light, and I realize I’ve just given him exactly what he wanted. Pressing my lips firmly together, I train my eyes forward again, determined not to speak to him again.

  Of course, this doesn’t stop him from talking to me. He tells me about his day, the errands he was sent on, and the beings he met. I try not to ignore him, but I can’t help myself. Cerberus’ day seems almost entirely consumed with carrying out Hades’ every menial demand.

  Peeking up at him, I frown as I wonder why this massive creature would allow Hades to treat him more like a working dog than a trusted companion. Though, I suppose he is a hellhound.

  It’s only when we turn down a hallway and up a new set of winding stairs that I realize I’m not being taken to the main dining room. Instead, Cerberus stops outside a new set of doors. Pushing them open for me, he steps aside to allow me entry into a much more private room.

  There’s a table in the center of the room set for two. Hades stands behind a chair, one hand gripping the back and an impatient look on his face. Behind him, is a large open balcony that looks out on the bustling Underworld, and for a moment I’m lost in the scenery.

  “Leave us,” Hades says, dismissing Cerberus with a wave of his hand.

  I find myself more than a little shocked by the rudeness with which he speaks to perhaps his most loyal subject, and I can’t help but glance up at my guard. His silence feels odd after all the talking he did on the walk over.

  With a nod toward Hades, he leaves; but not before shooting a strange look my way. The doors are pulled shut behind him, and I turn back to Hades feeling more perplexed than ever.

  “Come, join me,” Hades orders, motioning toward the chair across from where he stands.

  I do as I’m told and quickly take my seat. He joins me at the table, and I can’t help but glance about the room.

  The table is simple, but elegant, with a black tablecloth and silver plates. A decanter of deep red wine sits in the center of the table, surrounded by untouched platters of beautifully plated food. The room is dimly lit, the only source of light coming from the candles that flicker throughout the room, and the strange glow of the darkening Underworld through the open balcony doors.

  We’re completely alone here, and I instantly find myself missing the presence of the other women. Even a guard would be a welcome sight.

  “Will no one else be joining us?” I ask after a moment of silence.

  Hades says nothing as he moves to pour me a glass of wine.

  I stare at the bright red liquid as it fills the glass. It reminds me of blood and I’m unable to bring myself to reach for it, even as he pours himself a glass and raises it to his lips.

  His eyes remain fixed on me over the rim of his glass as I sit nearly frozen in my chair. Lowering the glass, he motions at the food before me.

  “Eat.”

  I glance down, taking in the bread, cheeses, roasted meats, and vegetables. They look amazing, but I suddenly find I have no appetite, not when I can feel his eyes watching my every move.

  Meeting his gaze, he raises an eyebrow as if expecting me to challenge him on this.

  It’s not like I really have a choice, anyway. I need sustenance, if my earlier reflection is anything to go by, and I am here to dine with him. Hopefully, the sooner the meal is finished, the sooner I can retreat back to my room.

  I take small nibbles, barely tasting the food.

  Hades doesn’t eat. Instead, he leans back in his chair, watching me as he sips from the glass of wine in his hand.

  My stomach grows tighter with each passing moment, making the process of eating that much harder. I’m not sure how I’m meant to finish the entire meal under his scrutiny. The silence seems to thicken around us, making it nearly unbearable to sit still.

  “The dress Cerberus chose for you suits you,” Hades says, his deep voice shattering the silence and startling me into dropping my fork.

  I flinch at the jarring clink of it meeting my plate. Then, as slowly as I can, I glance up at Hades. He watches me, his eyes dark and calculating.

  “Thank you,” I force myself to mumble as politely as I can.

  With a satisfied nod, he takes another sip from his glass.

  My skin burns under his scrutiny, and I’m thrown off balance by his compliment.

  “I find myself curious about you, mortal,” he says, as he finishes his glass. Shifting forward to set it down before leaning back in his chair and waving offhandedly at me. “Tell me about yourself. Tell me about the life you led before you found yourself in my kingdom.”

  Swallowing the food in my mouth, I reach for the wine. My throat is dry at the thought of speaking as I take a sip, the wine doing little to quench my sudden thirst. And yet, as I set the glass down, I feel as though I’ve just downed the entire bottle as my mouth opens and words begin to tumble from me.

  He leans back in the chair, listening as I tell him about my life before Death and my arrival in the Underworld. In almost no time, I’m spilling nearly every little detail about myself. From learning to hold a paintbrush with my father’s gentle guidance to the immense sadness of losing my mother.

  The disappointment of Father remarrying, the endless torment my new family put me through, and how I came to stand before Death.

  Nothing prior to my meeting of Death is held back, much to my own horror. Without any prompting, I tell him my fondest and my darkest memories. As the words finally dry on my tongue, I find myself exhausted from reliving the life I left behind.

  My voice trails off as a soft sob overtakes me, my words still hanging in the air as if to taunt me over how pathetic my life was. Over how little I managed to achieve ... and even then, I failed.

  Even my death, the giving of my very soul, was not enough to save my father.

  Tears sting the backs of my eyes, and I bury my face in my hands as I try to hide them.

  Hades’ chair scrapes against the floor, forcing me to look up, as he slowly rises. The measured tread of his boots against the marble floor echoes through the room as he makes his way over to me.

  I blink up at him as I struggle to regain my composure, the tears in my eyes making him swim in my vision. I’m unable to read his expression as he leans down, cupping my chin in his massive hand as he tilts my face toward his.

  “It appears there is more to you than meets the eye. What else are you not telling me, mortal?”

  His eyes search my face for a moment as I try to think of an appropriate answer, but then I realize that’s not what he’s looking for as his eyes drop to my lips. I’ve barely had time to decipher the look that passes across his face before he bends and his lips find mine.

  My shock only lasts a second before I pull away, using every ounce of strength and courage afforded to me. My chair topples over, crashing to the floor, as I scramble away from him.

  Hades watches me, his eyes following my every move, as I try to put as much distance between us as possible. There’s a predatory look on his face that I know far too well from my years spent avoiding my stepbrother’s advances.

  It unsettles me as he advances. It’s clear that he will not simply allow me to leave, not when there’s that hunger fueling his movements.

  “No,” I say, my voice coming out broken and shaky. “Please, no. I don’t want this.”

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18