Page 89 of Seph

“Oi, someone’s coming up the stairs. Two people.” Simeon suddenly grabbed Hades’ arm and pulled him back down the hall, into The Garden. “Em is talking to someone.”

Hades fell silent, but his body tensed, then shook. Balls of flame danced in his palms. “I know that voice.”

“So, do you think the costume is going to help win her over?” Emily said in an exaggeratedly loud voice.

“Erm. Yes. She has a thing for Greek mythology. Particularly that second-class dolt, Hades.”

Simeon watched the door to the stairwell swing open after a string of beeps. The stairwell doors were activated by keycard, but he hadn’t seen the door leading to the fifth floor. Based on the noises, it must have an access code.

Hades made a noise like a wounded tiger, a smothered growl as he saw Zeus emerge—dressed in a nearly identical outfit, although in place of his crown, Zeus wore a full helm, the visor pulled closed.

That’s low, even for him, Simeon thought.

“Can I meet her? I’ll let you two carry on, and I’ll go hang out with Circe and the others until you’re ready for your ‘victory lap,’” Emily giggled and batted her lashes.

“You know... I think I’ll go in alone. She’s a little skittish at times.”

“All right, see you later.” Emily turned and sauntered away, her eyes lighting up when she saw Simeon opening the door of the lounge a fraction.

Simeon prayed Zeus wouldn’t turn around. Fortunately, all his blood was flowing south, and he eagerly pulled a special gilt-edged card from the folds of his cloak, lifted the plastic sign that read “Linens” on the door, and fed the card into it. With ashimmer of electricity, the edge of the door seemed to glow and then swing inward.

Hades pushed past him, knocking him to his knees and materializing behind his brother at the end of the hall.

“Party’s starting,” Simeon grunted, getting to his feet. Emily pulled him up as she reached him, and as one, they turned and raced toward the duo at the end of the hall.

“You bastard!” Hades roared, tackling Zeus from behind. “Persephone! I’m coming, honey!”

The sound of shattering glass stopped Simeon in his tracks.

First one ornate crystal vase, then another, and another was hurled from the inside of the room. “I know who you are now!” a feminine voice, quaking with rage and filled with tears, howled.

“I’m dialing two and three,” Simeon hissed as Zeus got to his feet. “I think we need godly backup.”

“I’m going to slice the tendons in his legs,” Emily said in a cool, factual tone, kicked off her heels for the second time that afternoon, and raced to join the fray.

Hades sat back on his heels, heart pounding so hard that he was afraid it would break his ribs.

“Seph?” he whispered.

She was there, in front of him, shaking and sobbing as she held an armful of vases. Remains of cut flowers lay behind her in what seemed to be a dimly lit bar.

She didn’t answer him, looking at Zeus, now without his helmet, lying on his back with tiny cuts all over his face.

“Persephone? My love?” The last words were a tiny whisper.

What if she’s not my love anymore? I failed her. I didn’t find her. I didn’t ride Zeus harder, didn’t investigate like I shouldhave. Should have let the world die and wither to find her, the ill unable to die, the living starving in a matter of days...

Even as he thought it, Hades knew he couldn’t have subjected their children to that sort of life, the guilt of knowing they destroyed so many innocents for the sake of one great love.

“Excuse me.”

Emily, the vampire hunter, was suddenly kneeling beside him. His startled brother blinked at the pretty woman with her strawberry blonde hair and her perfect, toned figure. A good distraction—when his brother was concussed. Seph was still raining blows on Zeus, heavy vases creating a hailstorm of glass.

The little mortal winced, grabbed his brother by the knee—and then two sharp slashes filled the hallway with screams and splatters of golden ichor.

“Bitch!” Zeus roared.

“If you move over, Hades, I can do the other leg,” Emily said, ignoring the screaming and flailing. “But I would move fast to contain him because—”

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