Page 39 of Hades

"Ash, I'm surprised to see you here. Everything okay?"

"Yes, just a long day in the office. Those bitches need to get their shit together. I'm not picking up their slack anymore. I think half of them only wanted the job to get with you or your brothers. You should see them fall all over themselves when War stops in. Pathetic, really." Her mouth twists in disgust.

As I listen to her tale, I make her favorite drink, hoping it will help make her night a little better.

"One Apocalypse Sunrise," I say, sliding it in front of her. I thought the names were fun and my own little inside joke.

"Thanks,” she says, her eyes rolling back as she drinks half down in one go. “These are so good.”

Hades shifted in her seat, unintentionally drawing attention to herself.

“So tell me about your friend here," Ashley says as she takes a sip and points a finger at Hades.

"Ashley, this is Hayden. This is her first visit to the 4 Horse."

"I hope you’re enjoying your stay. Watch out for Pyro, he is a horny devil. The other two are okay but Frankie here is thesweetest," Ashley remarks as she downs her drink and slams the glass on the bar. "Thanks, Frankie. Put it on my tab."

"Sure, let me call you a cab."

Ashley makes small talk with Hades as I phone the cab company. As I hang up, a roar of laughter bursts from Hades.

Shit, what is Ashley telling her?

Making my way through the customers, I return once more to Hades and Ashley. They are chatting as if they are old friends.

"Your cab will be here in five," I tell Ashley. "Hayden, I’ll be off in ten. Your hot bartender will be here then.” I wink.

My replacement arrived on time,and I didn’t waste a moment to get back to Hades. She’s still at the end of the bar, but now a group of men are encasing her.

Jealousy wells up inside at the sight, my face set in a grimace as I stalk over to her. Just before I reach her, the men stumble apart and grab their stomachs.

“I’m starving,” one whines. A few others agreed, and they nod to Hades and leave, faces a bit more green than before.

Hades has a sour look on her face as I step closer. She knows damn well what I did.

“What?” I shrug, palms up.

“It’s not their fault, souls are attracted to me. The same thing happens when I’m in the Underworld, though they look a bit different then. Even in human form, I’m able to tell the good souls from the bad. Men are drawn to me, women as well, but they either love me or hate me.That’s one reason Cerberus is never too far from my side, unless I’m topside. He would turn heads with all three of his.”

Hades pulls me close and points discreetly to a man in the middle of the bar. He seems to have a nervous tick, scratching the back of his hand furiously.

If the scratching didn't stop soon he would break through the skin.

"That’s a tell-tale sign of a bad soul. Give me a second."

Hades moves away from me and over to the man with the tick. She stops just behind him but not close enough that she’s touching him. She whispers something in his ear and his body stills, his hand a bright red from where he can’t soothe the itch.

Hades’s icy blues eyes twinkle as her mouth tilts up into a smirk and she returns to my side. "Oh, here's the sexy bartender I was waiting for."

“How did you stop him?” I asked as I can't hide the smile that she brings to my lips.

“I can sometimes direct a soul to help the body stop something they can’t control,” she explained.

“That is interesting and helpful,” I said and I pull her in close, but my stomach drops when that sickly sweet smell hits my nose.

Hades frowns, noticing the shift in mood. "What is it?"

"Did your ex corner you again?"

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