Page 80 of Hades and Persephone: Threads of Fate

“It’s creepy here at night.” Addison shivers, alerteyes scanning the site. “I don’t think we should be here, Annie.”

“Then go. I didn’t ask you to come with me.” I don’t know why I’m being so mean. So short with him. I feel off. Pulling in a breath, I give him my eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re being weird tonight.”

I laugh, but it’s full of an ugly kind of bitter. “I’m always weird.”

“I like your weird.” He follows behind me as I keep walking, driven by a force I can’t see. “Usually.”

I harrumph.

“Hey,” Addison calls. “Stop for a minute, will you?”

My chest twists, but I do. Looking up at him, I watch as hesitation drifts over his features before he finally says, “I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel awkward or uncomfortable around me.” He pushes a tan hand through golden waves. “I—I don’t know what it is about you that makes me feel the way I feel.”

“Addison.” Discomfort twists in my gut.

“Shit, this is coming out wrong.” He shakes his head, his curls flopping. “I know you’re serious about Hades. What the hell kind of name is Hades? Who does that to their kid?”

“Addison.” There’s a small smile threatening my lips. He sees and mirrors it with his own.

“Sorry. Really.” He lifts his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Sorry.”

“Forgiven.” I narrow my eyes teasingly. “Maybe.”

“Like I said, I know you’re serious about Hades. I don’t like it, but I know it. I just want you to know I don’t want you to feel awkward around me. I want you to feel—I feel—” He pushes his hand through his hair again.

I touch his arm. “It’s okay, Addison. You don’t have to finish.”

“I do.” He’s so serious, that I nod. He continues, “Right from the start, I felt like I knew you. Like I’ve always known you.” His eyes plead with my own to understand. “I feel like I’ve had you. Like you were mine once a long, long time ago.” He curses again and I shiver. His words are like snakes on my skin. After my visions, it’s hard to cope with hearing this from him.

Addison continues, “I know it sounds crazy—Ithink it’s crazy—” He shrugs helplessly. “I just feel like I was meant for you.”

I offer him a small smile that feels so forced it might just crack. Softly, with my whole heart, I tell him, “I think you were meant to be my friend.”

He bursts a laugh. With a short shake of his head and a glance up at the stars, he says, “Letting me down easy, huh?”

I shrug.

“S’all good.” He laughs again, even though I’m sure I hear a raw hurt in it. “What are we looking for here, anyway?”

“I don’t know.” I start to walk again, deeper into the site with Addison at my side.

With every step, the pressure grows. With every step, I am closer to exposing the need that called me here.

At the mouth of the temple, I pause. I am here and yet not. Peering into the mouth of land and ancient stone, I consider the stairs. They’re steep and it’s dark.

“We’re not going down there,” Addison says beside me. “No way.”

I shake the thought from my mind as ridiculous. “I know.” I sigh as I lean away from the yawning hole in the earth. “Let’s forget I’m a lunatic and go home.”

“Good idea,” Addison agrees, relieved.

As we turn, a smooth feminine voice says, “I disagree.”

Addison yelps and I jump. But when my eyes land on her, everything—every part of me—freezes.

Recognition hits me like a wall of bricks. The woman is stunning. Breathtaking.

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