Page 43 of Hades

“I d-d-d-didn’t th-th-think th-th-this th-th-through,” she replies, her teeth chattering.

I pull her in close, enjoying the feel of her soft skin on mine. “Let’s try the hot tub. It might be more your style.” To me the pool feels great, but she’s used to the heat of the underworld.

Gliding in the water with Hades still in my arms, I take her toward Frank. He is already seated, his arms hanging over the side and a relaxed look on his face. I lift Hades over the stonebarrier, water raining from her glistening skin. As she moves closer to Frank, I climb in and claim a seat next to her.

“Better?” I ask.

“Much, thank you. Now we need to decide what to do about my annoying nephew,” Hades replies. Waving her hand, there’s a splash in the tub as Drevi and Pyro unexpectedly join us.

“Um, how’d I get here and why the fuck am I naked?” Confusion is written on Pyro’s face as he looks around.

“Since when do you complain about being naked?” Drevi laughs.

Hades smiles. “Sorry for transporting you with no warning. My nephew is being an annoying little prick. Once he realizes that I’m not taking the bait, he will want a fight.”

She shivers, so I ignore my brothers and pull her into my lap and wrap her in my arms.

“Thank you, War,” she murmurs as she adjusts herself. “There, that’s better. You were poking my ass.”

“Can’t blame me.” I shrug. She’s the one who went for naked hot tub time.

“Okay, so Ares is an asshole and War has a hard-on. I can help you with Ares, but War, you’re on your own.” Pyro snickers.

“Funny, brother. Tell me, if she was in your lap, wouldn’t you have the same issue?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Fair enough, let’s just discuss Ares. What do we know?” Frank sweeps his gaze around the hot tub, directing the question to the group at large.

“My brothers told me he is seeking my throne. The idiot that he is, thinks that ruling is his birthright and that it is a breeze. It is not the same as ordering an army around, you have to be just and fair. His tiny brain doesn’t understand that. He iswilling to fight for what he believes is his. If we battle here, your hotel will not withstand the fight. We need to lure him to us,” Hades explains.

“We have plenty of desert out there,” Frank pipes in, “but we need to make him come to us. This fight will be onourterms.”

“And Hades, please no stealing our clothes in the middle of the battle.” Pyro winks.

“I make no promises.”

“There is a flat, wide-open space just a few miles away. No building or hiding places, and the perfect spot. Ares will bring his army. If Ares wants a fight, we will give him one,” I say in a firm voice. “If you return our clothes, we can scout the location and start our battle plans.”

Sighing, Hades waves her hands, and the next moment we are in her suite, fully clothed. “Fine, let’s do this.” She is now wearing a black tank top and blue jeans. Her beautiful blonde hair is pulled back into a ponytail, the blue highlights eye-catching.

I link my fingers with hers and tug her toward the door. “We are burning daylight, move your asses.”

As the elevator opens,we are greeted by the asshole and his wife.

“Auntie, do you have a harem of men now?”

“Jealous?”

“What would my father say about this?”

“Do you think I care? This is my life. I make the choices, not my brother.”

“Wait till he hears this,” Ares snickers, sticking to his annoying assumptions.

Hades nears her nephew. “I know why you’re here. If you think I am going to roll over and let you rule the Underworld you have another thing coming. We fight at dawn.”

A fire lights in Ares’s eyes. “It would be my pleasure to dethrone you.”

A smirk rests on Hades’s lips. “Oh, Ares, always so confident. The battle will decide the victor.”

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