Page 136 of Seeking Hades' Ember

Chapter 64

Ember

"Wait, what?" My eyes bulged. Hecate wasn't joking; her small smile gave her a bit of twinkle in her dull eyes. There wasn't a possible way I could be pregnant. Hades said so himself. He was sterile.

"Oh, how little Hades' knows," Selene giggled. Her moon glowed a bit. "You are his little light, his little mate. Bonds help balance one another out, and with that, healing takes place. Your Alpha bite is strong, and one of the advantages of the bite you gave him helped him heal himself. Even with his godlike powers, he couldn't help his fertility due to his long-suffering in Kronos. However, your ability to heal, your Wolf, helped him with his. Not to mention, he may turn into a Wolf," she muttered.

My mouth dropped. Feeling my lip wobble, I put my hands to cover my gaping mouth. Warmth in my eyes overflowed, and tears began to tickle my cheeks. "Hades is going to be a daddy?" I almost cried. Hermes slapped his hands together as his teeth sparkled with mirth.

"And you are going to be a mother," Hecate cooed while I rubbed my belly. We were going to be parents! I wanted to tell Hades right away, tell him he was going to have a child. I couldn't wait to see the look on his face! I couldn't wait to…

"We have to get out of here," I said, determined. "We can't wait." Hecate frowned while I stood up. "Who knows how long we will be here, what spells are cast on this place. We can't let Demeter know I'm pregnant either! She would use it against me." I cradled my stomach while Selene held onto my shoulders.

"There isn't a way out; all our powers are suppressed, Ember. I can't even communicate outside the damn ward," Hermes hissed. I narrowed my brows as I concentrated on my empath abilities. It was there with my Wolf, before Hades and I mated; I just didn't know what they were at the time. Using those abilities, if I could determine what Demeter was feeling, it could give us an idea if she was nervous at all. Detect for lies and so forth.

"Does Persephone know what her mother is doing?" I asked.

Hermes shook his head. "Persephone thinks that Malachi really is her mate. They can't feel sparks, and Persephone is getting suspicious from what we have been told. She hasn't been around the encampment, but Malachi comes to do Demeter's bidding." Hermes rolled his eyes as he slumped in the chair. "She's great keeping her daughter in the dark."

"Wait, who told you? How do you know so much?" Hermes' little smile didn't go unnoticed.

"Some little Vampire has a crush." Selene eyed Hermes. “She has snuck us food and information. She wants to get out as well."

Speaking of the little wussy angel from earlier, Malachi opened the door with food in his hand. It contained nothing but bread and water, not even enough to sustain one person. "Here you go." He cheerfully put it on the table. Turning to leave, I walked up to him and pulled his arm back, throwing him to the wall. My grip tightened. A newfound ferocity grew in my body, I had a baby to protect and a mate to tell the good news. I was tired of this and was going to end it.

"Listen here, Malachi," I spat. Trying to pull my nails from my body, they grew ever so slightly, piercing his heavenly skin.

"W-what are you doing?" he stuttered. Trying to get a good look at my hands, I forced my fangs to descend, just enough to show. Malachi's emotions went to annoyance, to fear, to downright petrified.

"If you think you can keep me here, you have another thing coming," I growled. “I'm going to have fun watching you suffer." The door slammed open again, vines gripping my limbs and pinning me to the floor. The goddess' robes swept the floor elegantly as she shut the door, locking it before another word was spoken.

"So feisty you are, much more than you were so many years ago. Maybe another frightful scare and a bash to your head might calm you a bit." Demeter's lips smacked together. "That Helm is dreadfully heavy; however, I could skip scaring you entirely and hit you with more Dragon's blood spells.” it is mighty powerful." She hummed. A faint hint of worry hit her emotions; it was a lie. She wouldn't waste that Dragon's blood. Pearly white teeth parted her lips, cackling into the fire. Her hand threw dust that roared it to life, warming the room.

Demeter began walking meticulously around the room, studying each god in a judging manner. Her stature meant seriousness, cold and brutal. However, the underlying emotions were there. I felt her fear, anxiousness, and discomfort.

"It's time to do your part, Selene. Erase the bond of Gabriel and Persephone or have one of your friends here suffer the consequences. I've waited long enough." Another wave of her hand, she sat in the chair, unmoving, staring into Selene. Selene's head dipped in despair while Hermes shook his head.

"Don't do it, Selene," Hermes whispered.

"I could make him suffer then, only if you want, Selene." Demeter tutted and pulled a small spear from her side. Standing, walking closer to Hermes, he flinched, seeing the black liquid at its end.

Clenching my fist, I kept the low growl in my chest. Selene stood with her hands placed in front of her. Looking at Hermes, she gave a small smile and walked with Demeter out the door.

"Malachi, have some of our friends tie our prisoners to the poles outside. This is something I want them to see." Malachi glanced at me while I showed him my pearly whites. Lucky that Demeter had been oblivious to the change as we walked single file outside.

The bonfire stood in the middle of the area. Poles stood in a row for Hecate, Hermes, and I. "Don't get too comfortable, Ember. Breaking your bond with Hades will be the grand finale." While the Vampire holding me tied me down, I was sure to struggle to not get it as tight. Hermes, who was being led to his pole, had a woman, tall, slender with violet eyes, guide him. She wasn't rough, her touch was gentle. Then I saw it, a glimmer of light between their skin. Selene must be too weak to even know the bond between them.

"She's the one that has been our friend here," Hecate whispered."She snuck us extra rations of food and let us know what has been going on."

"Mates," I whispered to Hecate. "They are mates." Hecate's eyes darted to Hermes, who didn't struggle against her. As she tied the ropes, she kept them loose so Hermes could break free. Giving him a wink, she came by each of our ropes to check their sturdiness. Once she reached me, she sighed and loosened mine as well. I grabbed her hand from behind and gave her a squeeze. I'd get her out too.

"Now then, Selene." Demeter pulled a vile from her robes. There were all but two drops of blood inside. Her jaw tightened as she dropped the slightest amount on the Sphere. There it sat, an orb that could change the destinies of two couples. Persephone and mine. Two souls approached, most likely, they were that of Persephone and Gabriel. Selene flinched as she saw the two souls together, tied together through their bond.

"Malachi, bring in Persephone." Laying on a small cot, with flowers in her hair, Persephone laid asleep. Her lashes were full of dew, and spring flowers wafted through the death of the air. "Good work on the tea." Malachi dropped his head as his smile went wicked, holding onto her hand.

"Begin, Selene, I don't have all day." Selene's hand moved to touch the Sphere. Her shoulders slumped while her other delicate fingers reached for the Sphere.

"What have you promised the Vampires' for their loyalty?" I interrupted. The large group gathered stood still. Not a sound was made as they looked at one another. Candles blew in the gentle wind, and the fire sparked lightly. Demeter's footsteps faltered as she walked towards me, no doubt to silence me.

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