Page 100 of Thanatos' Craving

Zeus gave her a small smile and waved.

He wasn’t his usual carefree self. The weight of sadness lingered in his eyes, casting a shadow over his usual bright expression. His dark hair was disheveled, as if ruffled by a gust of wind. Neglected, his beard has grown out, adding to his sloppy appearance. The top button of his dress shirt remained undone.

Hypnos came beside me and nudged me. “He’s depressed. I heard he found his mate a few years ago, a human, but she ran off and Poseidon wiped her memory because Zeus pissed him off. Zeus has been searching for her.”

I cracked a smile. I never knew Poseidon could be so devilish.

“Hades, why are you torturing one of my angels?” Zeus asked with disinterest.

Hades sighed and leaned against the desk.

“And why are there charred remains of a body on your floor? That’s kind of gross, man. It smells.” Zeus waved his hand in front of his face.

Simone stomped her foot and shimmied in her bindings. “Please, Zeus, can you help me?”

Zeus sighed and scratched his beard. “I’m assuming you have a good reason, Hades? What did Simone do?”

Simone huffed and glared at Hades. “They haven’t told me.”

I stepped between Hades and Simone. “Simone has been seeing a matchmaker. She’s been returning services to this supernatural match maker to find her mate, and in return for payment has been sending innocent humans to a fucking sex trafficking ring. This matchmaker would not find their mates at all!”

Simone gasped. “I have been doing no such thing. I’ve been helping her find mates for other supernaturals while she finds mine!”

Zeus rolled his eyes. “Are you that dense?” He slapped his forehead. “No one, and I mean no one, can find other people’s mates except for themselves. Mother Rhea, what the fuck?!” Zeus sat beside Uriel on the couch and she automatically put her hand on his forehead. It soothed the tension from his body, and he became lax.

Simone stuttered, shaking her head. “N-no, that isn’t true. She’s helped many. I’ve talked to them. They said she found their—”

“Lies,” I snapped. “People can fucking lie. If you had questions, you should have asked a higher power. Scheduled a meeting with a god who would know.”

Simone’s lip quivered. “We are just desperate—”

The dark shadows slithered silently around me, whispering sinister thoughts, like how I should suck Simone’s soul from her body. Andriel or Simone, one of them, could have been the culprit who stole my mate from me all those years ago. I clenched my teeth, feeling the tension coursing through my body, aching to sink my teeth into her flesh, to obliterate her existence. But as I held my mate tightly in my arms, a sense of calm washed over me, urging me to approach this situation with a clear mind.

“All are desperate to find something so precious.” I gazed down at my mate. “Some of us have lived longer than you,Simone, and before you pay for your sins, you will answer every question truthfully or suffer the consequences. You don’t want to end up like Andriel, do you?”

A piece of ash fell from his scorched body.

“Z-Zeus please,” Simone begged.

Zeus shook his head. “My hands are tied. You are in Hades’ realm and even I know the importance of mates, Simone. Answer them truthfully.” Zeus hung his head.

“Now,” I began. “Who did you meet? Who is this match maker?”

Simone shuffled her feet. “I-I know this will sound strange, but I don’t remember her face. I believe she had magic or something. If I see her, I know it’s her but when I walk away. I cannot remember. I just remember her clothes. A pink pencil skirt and blazer–”

Juniper yawned loudly. “Are we talking about the owner of the club? Miss pink suit wearing, big blonde hair, lady?” My mate stretched her body in my arms, her breasts rising right in front of my face.

Fuck, don’t get hard.

“I-I don’t remember her hair.” Simon said, shaking her head.

“I do. Man, she was a piece of work. She was dressed like a really young version of Dolly Parton’s evil twin sister. I love Dolly Parton, don’t get me wrong. But this lady was evil. I swear her eyes were of the devil. No offence Mr. Hades, sir.”

Hades raised a brow.

“Dolly Parton is fucking hot,” Ares said. “Baby, you should dress up like Dolly.”

Mariah turned up her nose. “I’m not blonde. I’d have to get a wig.”