Page 134 of Seeking Hades' Ember

Chapter 63

Vulcan

Hades' bones cracked, and hair protruded from every pore. His screams turned into growls, groans, and grunts until finally, he howled louder than Ares in his Wolf form. Black majestic fur flowed from his body, and red eyes pierced us all. Each wary step that Hades took left burned paw prints into the wooden floors. Smoke steamed, and the more he walked, the hotter his paws became. Flickers of flames came from his claws while he salivated.

Hades had turned into a hell hound. Hell hounds were something else; I hadn't seen them in many years living in the Underworld. They lived in packs at the furthest region from the palace. They were dangerous, brutal, and most of all, unforgiving. When provoked, they could set ablaze an entire forest. Hades created them as guards to protect his home, but he told us he had nothing to protect once Persephone was taken. If anyone dared to enter his palace, he would see to it himself to destroy all who enters.

Thus the hellhounds were then banished since no demon could control them. Now, we have a hellhound in our midst, unsure how not to provoke the God of the Underworld.

Each pant blew cinder, ash, and smoke while his eyes burned brightly. Pawing the cabin floor, it burned holes beneath his paws. Stalking towards us, I pulled Tamera behind me and elbowed Ares to do something. He was a damn Wolf; he would indeed have something to do or say to calm the beast.

"Ares! Do something!" I whispered harshly. Ares was beside himself as he looked on in horror.

"That isn't an ordinary Wolf. It's a damn hellhound. What do you want me to do with it?" Wolves outside gathered, hearing the unfamiliar cries. Alpha Wesley ran up and pushed us aside to see the commotion but immediately took a few steps back.

"Goddess almighty," he whispered. "What is that?"

"Hades," I gritted my teeth. "Your daughter has been taken, and Hades' emotions got the best of him. Looks like your daughter's Alpha bite gave him the ability to change." I spat.

"I don't know which statement to acknowledge first," he growled. "Where is my daughter?" Wesley roared, no longer concerned with the hellhound. Wesley began to lose himself as Charlotte stepped up to pull Wesley back outside. A large owl flew in through the opened door and landed on the bed railing. I sighed in relief as I saw the glimmering white feathers with gold tips.

"Athena." I grabbed hold of Tamera, keeping her out of sight of Hades. His black saliva dripped on the floor, sizzling.

With a few flutters of her wings, Athena stood before us in human attire of brown pleated pants and a tan blazer. Her hair pulled up in a tight bun as her thick-rimmed glasses sat on her face. "Well, isn't this a sight?" Her finger brushed her lips as she approached Hades. His head snapped in her direction while cinder flew out of his nose. "Didn't expect that. Little Ember packed a punch now, didn't she?"

Ares tightened his jaw, no doubt either jealous or upset of his inability to control a creature before us. Sensing Ares' turmoil, Athena approached while Mariah growled at Athena, not caring if she was a god.

"It's all right, Mariah. I don't want him; men don't do it for me." She chuckled. "No one does it for me," she whispered again. "Now, Ares, treat him like any other rogue Wolf. Just because he looks worse for wear doesn't mean you can't help him." Ares blew out his nose as his back stood up straight to approach.

Hades didn't show any sign of giving up, firing off a couple warning barks. Ares didn't relent, not wanting to step down from a fight. "Fight it, Hades." The hell hound shook his head as the black saliva slung across the room. A rabid beast might have been a better fit than a Wolf.

"I command you, let go of your anger. Let go of the inner beast and get control over the animal. The human controls the Wolf; beasts do not." Hades shook his head again, howling in pain as his paws pulled strips of wood from the floor. Ember wasn't going to like the new look to their home away from home.

Ares lunged forward and grabbed Hades by the neck, wrestling him until Ares had pinned him in one swift swoop. Hades was on the floor, paws in the air, trying to nip at Ares' ear. "Submit!" Ares used his brute strength and was being tested. Drips of condensation tickled his brow while his biceps crushed the windpipe. Hades began to still as the breath was taken from his lungs. "That's it," Ares encouraged. "Take back control of your body, calm your anger. We will get her back." Hades whined and whimpered until his body went limp on the floor.

Tamera gripped my arm, a stray tear running down her face. Hades was hurt, devastated above all else, he was angry. Ember was the only thing that held him together, and now she was gone. Hades stilled, and Ares let up on the massive hellhound.

"Now think of your human form," Ares commanded. "Think of your skin, your hair, then feel of the clothes on your body." Hade's bones cracked again as he turned back into his body; his black robes covered him while smoke continued to rise from the ashes he had left. Grunting, he stood up, but his fire was still there.

Hades nodded to Ares in thanks, his mouth in a thin line. Howling, growling was heard from outside; no doubt the news of the female Alpha been taken. "We leave at midnight," Hades' voice was tight.

Athena glanced on at Hades, a small smile on her lips. "Well done, Hades. Maybe you do have some self-control."

Hades' breath deepened while the smoke continued to flow through his limbs.

"Let's get our fellow god and goddesses back."

Ember

"Let me go!" I screamed into the blackened night air. It was musty, stagnant, and worst of all, it smelled of death. If I could use my hands, I'm sure my hand would land on a corpse beneath my feet. However, I was unable to use my hands because they were bound to my back. With my newfound strength, I tried to burst free, but the tightness only worsened while trying. Dragon's blood must have been coated on each twine of the rope.

I screamed again, but a slap stopped me from continuing. Hisses came from the lips of the two holding me by my biceps. My enhanced vision wouldn't even let me see through the darkness. I grit my teeth, trying to extend my fangs, but that too came up short.

"Elea, you still there?" I whispered.

"Yes, but something is holding me back, like the time I tried to get free. This one is so much stronger." Her voice was weak as Elea tried to talk.

"Sleep. I'll need you later. We will get out of this." Elea didn't speak again; I knew we were in some deep poo.

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