Until Death: A Dark Gods and Monsters Fantasy Romance (Tempting the Fates Book 3), page 25
Until Death
Tempting the Fates Book Three
Alice Wilde
E-book Edition | Until Death by Alice Wilde
©2023 Alice Wilde
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All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means–electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission from the publisher, except in case of including brief passages for use in a review.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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For permissions contact:
alicewildeauthor@gmail.com
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Ebook ASIN: B0C1DQNLT4
Contents
Content Warning
1. Death
2. Hazel
3. Hazel
4. Eros
5. Hazel
6. Hades
7. Death
8. Hazel
9. Hazel
10. Hades
11. Eros
12. Hazel
13. Hazel
14. Death
15. Hazel
16. Hazel
17. Cerberus
18. Hazel
19. Cerberus
20. Hazel
21. Hazel
22. Hazel
23. Hazel
24. Eros
25. Hazel
26. Cerberus
27. Hazel
28. Death
29. Hazel
30. Hazel
31. Death
32. Hazel
33. Death
Thank You
Also by Alice Wilde
About the Author
To love until Death do us part.
Content Warning
Dear Reader,
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Thank you for picking up Until Death, book three in Tempting the Fates. This is a dark, plot-heavy fantasy romance with multiple love interests. Each book will end on a cliffhanger until the series is complete.
Please be aware that this series may not be suitable for all audiences, and it is certainly not for all ages. If you choose to continue, be prepared to encounter some language, mental/physical abuse, murder, suicidal thoughts, kidnapping, violent behaviors, the mention of non-con and attempted non-con (not by the love interests), death, violence, choking, voyeurism, mutilation, monsters, gods, revenge, redemption, heartbreak, and descriptions that may otherwise trigger you.
However, you will also find a great deal of wonderful and strange characters as well as angst, slow burn romance and eventual spice (this is not a fade to black series), and a cast of characters that is met and built slowly over the course of the story. This series is also multiple POV, so please be aware that some chapters may overlap slightly.
All this being said, there may be other triggers within the series that I have not listed. The journey will not be an easy one for our characters, but it’ll be worth it in the end.
Or so one can hope.
Shall we begin … Tempting the Fates?
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Alice
1
Death
My hands clench into fists at my sides. Pain unlike anything I have ever known claws its way through my chest, threatening to destroy my will to stay where I am.
To obey Hazel’s command, despite knowing that my very existence means nothing without her by my side.
My shadows crash around me, unable to hide the tempest raging within my soul as all I ever wanted leaves me behind.
But I stand my ground.
I will not go after Eros and Hazel, not before I have evidence of my innocence.
No matter how great my desire is to take her from him and into my own arms once again.
No matter how much it feels like my heart is being torn from me with each added step between us.
No, I will not go after her again until I can prove myself to her. Until she can be made certain that nothing will come between us again.
That I will stop at nothing to prove that my love for her is true.
I let out a ragged breath as I swallow the agony at the back of my throat and turn to look toward the gate and the souls beyond. Though my eyes move over them, my thoughts remain fixed on Hazel.
She was right about one thing; her father should not be here.
At least, not so soon.
Perhaps it is for this reason why I let her leave with Eros in the first place. Our deal should have protected him from dying for at least one moon cycle, even if his treacherous wife poisoned him again. Hazel’s sacrifice, her strength poured into him, should have been enough to temporarily sustain him against something so trivial.
Unless, it was not mere poison that killed him.
Stepping toward the gate, I watch the wandering souls beyond, and several turn to blink blearily at me. Just as quickly, their interest wanes and they turn away as if they can sense that I am not the keeper of this gate.
I furrow my brow in thought at this.
Though they can obviously sense my presence, they do not otherwise react to it. There is no fear, no desperation, no emotion at all … not a living body remains among them.
Never, in all my existence, have I seen anything like this. Unless a catastrophe has beset the mortal realm, most should still have some connection to their former selves.
And yet, these souls do not.
My jaw hardens as my eyes narrow on the crowd. There is something far more sinister at work here than I thought, and I fear this is just the beginning.
Shifting my attention away from the wandering souls, my gaze locks on Hazel’s father.
“You,” I say, closing the distance between us, “tell me, what happened to you?”
The man’s eyes are hollow and lifeless as he looks up at me. Slowly his head tilts to one side, but he remains quiet.
“How is it that you came to be here?” I press.
“Here,” Hazel’s father repeats, the word a garbled mess as it pushes past his lips. He blinks once, his head lolling to one side as he eyes roll in their sockets.
I let out deep sigh of frustration. There is little point to questioning a man with no answers to give.
Hazel’s father has no idea where he is, let alone what happened to him. He is too far gone, the ties between his body and soul severed, for it to have been mere poison that killed him.
Though I am quite certain I know which mortal creature is responsible for his untimely demise, I must find a way to prove to Hazel that I am not the one to blame. That I have kept my word, despite what it may look like.
I must find out how her father ended up here despite her sacrifice, and I will do everything in my power to save him from this fate.
To make sure Hazel’s soul was not given in vain.
I must trust that Eros will keep her safe, though the very thought causes bile to rise in my throat. I do not trust him; and yet, I have no choice. This is what she wishes of me, and I must accept it for the time being.
Until I can ease her suffering and quiet her fears once again.
I watch Hazel’s father for a moment longer as he slumps against the gate, already having forgotten me in the haze of his current existence.
There is no other choice for me but to go before the Fates themselves. With the gates shut, only they can give me the answers I need, and perhaps the future I so desperately seek to share with Hazel.
I have no doubt they will find a way to use this against me.
My lip curls up in disgust at this, my hands balling into fists at my side as rage and uncertainty war within me. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath in and exhale slowly.
So be it, I will do whatever it takes to make sure Hazel is given everything she is owed a thousand times over.
Double checking the red ribbon binding Hazel’s father to the gate, I turn back to face the Underworld.
And, ultimately, the Fates themselves.
2
Hazel
Eros is quiet as he walks beside me.
Lost in grief, I barely notice the changing scenery around us as we move. With one arm wrapped around his, and the other still clutching the small package I found on Death, Eros gently guides me through the dark forest.
Though I find our closeness unnerving, as long as our skin does not touch, at least it isn’t physically draining as well … and I’m thankful that I’m not completely on my own at this moment.
Especially given my current state.
Occasionally Eros will softly mutter something, words meant to distract or comfort me I’m sure, but they fall on deaf ears. I am lost in a daze of emotions, unable to even muster a half-hearted mumble in response to him.
It’s strange to be walking through the trees like this.
It was just a few days ago that I was here with Death at my side. My heart full of hope, love, and the possibility of a future.
A future with him.
I had thought Death was everything I’d ever wanted.
Now it’s Eros who leads me back to Aglaia,
Eros keeps me tucked against him as we move deeper into the woods, and I wonder how I allowed myself to end up here.
My heart feels like it’s breaking over and over again with each step I take. Not just over the death of my father, but over Death himself.
The loss of him at my side. The loss of my trust in him … and worst of all, the loss of what could have been.
My love for him is deeper than even I had realized, and it makes what he’s done that much more unbearable. His betrayal stings deeper than anything I’ve felt before.
And yet, part of me still wants nothing more than to turn around and run back to the gates. To throw myself into his arms, allowing him to wrap me up in his icy embrace and wipe away my tears.
More than anything, though, I just want him here by my side. The urge to glance about, seeking him out in the shadows around us, is almost impossible to ignore … but I do.
I hate the way I hope he’s somewhere nearby, watching over me, keeping me safe. Despite everything, I still want him to be close.
But deep down, I know he’s not.
I cannot feel him near me. The darkness doesn’t hold the same inkiness to them that his shadows do.
There’s no chill in the air to reassure me that he’s watching, and it’s all my fault.
I hate the doubt that creeps into the back of my mind. Perhaps I made a mistake sending him away.
Perhaps …
I shake my head as I am reminded of my father. Of seeing him here in the Underworld, lost and confused, even after I gave my very soul to save him.
No, I was right to tell Death to stay away.
For what is a man, god or otherwise, worth who cannot keep his word?
Nothing.
At the very least, he is not one I want to be bound to.
If Death cannot prove that he kept our deal, then I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to trust him again.
After all, he lied about finding my book … If he is that jealous of another man’s love for me, and my father’s at that, why should I believe he’s not lying about our deal, too?
It would do me well to remember that, instead of longing for him.
I try my best to let my heart harden against Death. I have tried, for my mother’s sake, to remain soft, but where has that led me?
To death.
I will not let love be my downfall, but even as I think this, I know my heart will not listen. I love Death, and I cannot help but hope that he proves me wrong.
Turning, I find Eros’ watching me, concern clear on his face, and force a small smile to my lips.
“Thank you for walking with me,” I tell him. “I’m not sure I trust these trees.”
“And you would be wise not to, they have a way of leading souls astray.”
I frown at this.
“And the white creature I saw you transform from, was that a trick of the forest’s, too?”
“No,” Eros says, nervously clearing his throat. “That was all me, I am afraid.”
“Really?”
“Yes, it is one of my many forms,” he says, giving me a half-grin. “I thought it would be the fastest way to catch up with you, but I had no intention of startling you into the grasp of the forest.”
“How many forms do you have?”
“Ah, now you are finally asking the interesting questions,” he says with a delighted laugh. “My dear mortal, I am limitless in what I can become. In fact, I can take on just about any form you desire to see me in.”
“Any form?”
I try to keep surprise from slipping into my tone as I try to imagine Eros as anything other than himself … let alone that fearsome beast. Though I suppose at this point, nothing should surprise me.
After all, I am dead ... Little more than a wandering soul myself. One who once kissed Death himself.
“What do you have in mind?”
I bite back my reply, knowing there is still only one being I wish more than all the rest to see.
“Nothing.”
“Oh, very well.”
“Perhaps the beast from before?” I say quickly, noting the disappointed slump of his shoulders.
Instantly he perks up as if excited to show off another of his powers, and I suspect that’s exactly what it is.
“I would be happy to oblige, but you will need to secure that package of yours and climb up onto my back first.”
I frown at this before warily asking, “Why?”
His grin widens at my question as he leans in close, and for a moment I’m distracted by his nearness. Eros’ beauty is somehow heightened with proximity, not to mention the intoxicating scent of him that now washes over me.
Distantly, I am all too aware that I should be wary of him and his charms.
But with Death no longer here to ground me, I find my self-control around Eros wearing away despite my best efforts.
“I cannot very well lose my hold on you, mortal one,” he tells me, his voice low and soft as it trails its way down my spine. “Not within these trees. Besides, this is the only way you will get to meet my beast while remaining perfectly safe by my side.”
“Perhaps this isn’t such a great idea.”
“Come now, I will even allow you to ride me back to the city,” Eros says, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. “Certainly, you cannot say no to an offer like that. Not when I can sense the curiosity burning bright within you.”
He pulls back slightly as if to search my face.
It’s impossible to miss the mischief in his expression, but I force myself to disregard it. An overwhelming sense of exhaustion has taken root within me, and I quickly realize that I don’t want to fight him on this.
“I suppose it would be nice to not have to walk for a moment,” I say softly.
“Then it is settled.”
Before I have a chance to change my mind, he kneels, his hands sliding down my arms and over the curves of my legs to the very hem of my skirt. Taking the now stained and dirty fabric in both hands, I let out a gasp of surprise as he tears a long slit up one side, freeing my legs from within.
As unrecognizable as the starlight dress had become, given my previous journey through the forest, I’m still sad to see it so utterly destroyed.
“Was that necessary?” I ask, as he rips another strip of fabric from the hem of my dress, catching my hand before I can pull away from his hold on my skirt.
“Yes, it was. Now, take hold of me, and do not let go” he orders. I do as he says, and he carefully pries the small package from me and wraps it in the length of fabric before securing it to my person. “There. Ready?”
Eros doesn’t wait for me to respond before he swings me up onto his back, his movements too gentle and quick for me to realize what’s happening before it’s already done. I don’t even get a chance to express my shock and annoyance over being manhandled in such a way before he’s shifted beneath me.
Gone is the man I know as Eros, and in his stead now stands a giant white beast. Surprise crashes through me as I clutch at handfuls of his thick fur to keep myself from falling to the ground far below.
He lets out a low growl that rumbles through my body just before he sets off at a pace that leaves me breathless with exhilaration and fear. Wind whips past me, tugging at my hair and dress as he darts around trees, beneath clawing branches, and over giant boulders.
The forest blurs past us, and I press myself flatter against Eros’ back, clinging to him with every ounce of strength left in my body. The thrill of riding him soon outweighs the terror, as I watch the world shift around me, knowing that I am safe here atop him.
