Page 139 of Seeking Hades' Ember

From the corner of my eye, Malachi grabbed Persephone and held her to his chest. Her head fell backward, hanging from his arm. A bright light came from the heavens, a stark difference from the dark that had rained down on us for the past few hours. So bright that I became blind, and Demeter's vines grabbed my neck, beginning to squeeze. Her body toppled onto mine and pushed her knee into my stomach.

Remembering the child in my body, I slung my leg around, and my thigh knocked her torso flat on the ground. Before I could throw my claws into her, I was pulled up in a warm embrace. His campfire and s'more smell invaded my nose. My mate, my mate, was here.

"Go hide," he ordered into my ear. I gripped his hand and pulled him to my face; one peck on the lips was all it took for him to pull me to him and his tongue invaded my mouth. Time stopped in those three seconds. Hades' eyes full of fire and passion released me reluctantly as Demeter's thorns shot her vines, ripping him away from me.

I growled in frustration, but Hades took the lead. His cloak had fallen to reveal leather bindings around his torso, corset-like, and wielded a black sword with ember glowing into the darkened night. The tight leather pants showed his extraordinary behind that only made me hot.

"Damn," I whispered, but a blood-curdling howl from Remus, my father's Wolf, made me falter. Across the clearing, my father was battling a demon, so large that its horns curved around his head and straight to the back of its body. Hooves stomped the ground as they dug its blackened hooves into my father's hind leg for a second time.

Remus's howl ripped through me. My make-shift cloak dress was torn from my body as I shifted. The gentle air of white wings blew past me, but I dared not stop. Paws gripping the decaying leaves, I leaped into the air, higher than I had ever jumped. My claws ripped into the biceps of the demon quick enough so my jaws could clamp down on its thick neck. The only hair on its head was in a small ponytail with long strands down his back. The rest was bald and containing only its horns.

It roared in aggravation while my maw clamped harder. Black blood pooled into my mouth; the taste of death came along with it. Holding back a gag, I let go once more to gain more traction with my claws. Large hands came behind his head, dirtying my white fur with its black blood. My grip was tight, and little did this demon know, I was a goddess now and healed faster than an ordinary Wolf. Elea took control, and with one twist of her neck, the monster succumbed to a neck-breaking bite, surrendering to its injuries. Dust filled my lungs; the demon had now returned to the pool of demonic souls.

Elea spat out the remaining blood while glancing at Dad. His leg was a mess, black tar-like substance pouring from his side. Switching to human form, I leaped to his side, holding his wound.

"Dad?!" I breathed helplessly. The fight was still going, Wolves were winning by a landslide, but my father, the Alpha, was dying in my arms. His heart rate weakened while trying to remain his grip on my arm holding his wound. "It's all right, Ember," he heaved.

Everything was not all right. My father was lying on his back, a vulnerable position for a Wolf. "We have to get this magic off of you," I cried. My eyes darted to Hades, who was still dealing with Demeter. Dad coughed again. I bellowed for Hecate, who felt my desperate plea from her hiding position. Kneeling into the dirt, examining his wound, I silently pleaded.

Hecate's eyes held no hope as her fingers dipped into his wound. My own father's blood had begun to turn into a black like-tar, thick and sticky. "What hurt you?" Hecate whispered. Dad coughed again, bits of blood-spitting from his mouth.

"A-a spear, like the one that pierced Hades."

My stomach dropped.

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