Page 26 of Underworld

Howe clicks a few buttons and pulls up her ad. “Much worse,” he admits.

“Seventeen-year-old heiress for sale. No longer a virgin, but still ripe.” I can’t believe what the fuck I’m reading. “Is he trying to sell her off like fucking cattle?”

Howe scrolls further down. “It seems he’s trying to sell her off to breed her.”

“Because that’s better!” I scream. Howe flinches, and I instantly deflate. Fuck. “I’m sorry, Cerberus.”

He nods in understanding. “I know, Hades. How do you want to proceed?”

I straighten. “Call Luka, and see if he can get the posting taken down. I know he can control the postings from his side of things better than you can from this side. We will send some Hounds out to get her.”

It was too late. Too fucking late. She was gone. Somehow she figured out what her dad was planning and left. Howe has spent hours looking through footage from every street cam in the territory in an attempt to find her, but nothing. She vanished. She’s a ghost. I feel like fucking shit because I already told Alec and Zane about her. That we finally found her. And now . . . she’s gone. Slipped through our fucking fingers once more.

I look out over the city as I sit on the cliff behind the Cave. It’s the only spot I can think. I wish I had Alec’s and Howe’s optimism. They immediately said that it was not a problem. We would be able to find her again. But will we? I feel someone slide up next to me, and without looking, I know who it is.

“You doing okay, brother?”

Zane’s gruff voice doesn’t hide his disappointment. He and I are the same. We embraced the darkness when she was taken from us. We continue to live in the dark. I sigh and say, “About as well as you are, I’m sure.”

He hums. “She’s Sunshine. She can’t hide forever. She’s too bright.”

I can tell he is forcing himself to try to be positive. But I know better. “I’m starting to think it’s too dark to find the sunshine anymore, brother. She’s turned into a ghost.”

Zane is quiet for a moment before he says, “The light can’t shine as brightly without the dark.”

I snort out a humorless laugh. “Have Cerberus and Charon rubbed off on you, brother?”

He huffs out a deep sigh and replies, “Truthfully? I’m trying not to be consumed by the darkness myself.”

My gaze shifts to him, and I notice the dullness in his eyes. He’s becoming Thanatos, the god of death. I bump his shoulder, trying to stop the darkness from taking hold of him. His eyes shift to mine before he whispers, “I can’t settle for a ghost anymore. I need my Sunshine.”

Chapter Twenty

Jane

I’m a bit speechless. They had found me, and I didn’t even know. I had slipped through their fingers. I could have been with them four years ago. But would I be the same Jane I am now if I hadn’t gone through what I had over the last four years? I don’t think I would. Huffing out a sigh, I grab a pillow and cuddle it in my lap.

They opened up about some of their past; the least I could do was tell them more about what I’d been through. I suppose since we were on the subject of Luka and me, maybe that would be a good place to start.

I feel Howe slide onto the couch on my other side. Now snuggled between Howe and Alec, I feel myself relaxing without meaning to. I am curious about their relationship, but that’s a question for another time.

Taking a deep breath, I try to exhale my reservations about sharing my past. It was the past. It’s not like I can change it. Looking between my guys, I say, “I’m not going to tell you everything that happened over the last ten years we’ve been separated. Most of it I would like to forget. Especially the time I spent with my dad.” I can’t stop the shiver of disgust that runs down my spine. I knew I would have to tell them some stuff, but it didn’t need to be today.

Alec slides his hand into mine and says softly, “You don’t have to share anything if you don’t want to.”

I give his hand a squeeze and flash him a small smile before responding. “I don’t mind. Some things are just more painful to bring up. But I can share what happened between Luka and me. It’s not a horrible memory. It’s actually one of the better memories I have.”

Howe cuddles closer, wrapping an arm around the back of my head. I feel Alec stiffen and then relax beside me. I look over to see that Howe has tangled his fingers in Alec’s short hair. Fuck, I really want to hear their story. Another time. “Tell us, Starlight.”

“Alright.” I sigh. “So here’s how I met Luka . . .”

Three and a half years ago…

Shit, I need to get a job. These odd jobs aren’t cutting it anymore, and I need money if I am going to travel the territory in search of my guys. But no one wants to hire a seventeen-year-old. Even though I am almost eighteen and look like I am older. I could pass for a twenty-year-old if I really needed to.

I only have ten bucks in my pocket, but that isn’t going to get me anywhere to stay for the night. Huffing out a sigh, I look around the busy streets. Maybe I could . . . there! The neon lights read, Tartarus. I know it is a strip club, but it is a high-end strip club. It is part of the underground owned by the Underworld. I know they treat their ladies well and pay even better.

Fuck it. May as well give it a shot. Pulling up my big girl panties, I walk towards the club. Metaphorically speaking, anyways. I didn’t actually pull up my big girl panties because I am not currently wearing any. I am not a man. I do not flip them inside out and wear them again. Nor do I wear them until they stink. Fucking gross.

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