Page 23 of Seeking Hades' Ember

Chapter 12

Jillian

The bed was warm, just like the previous night when I woke up with a nightmare. Hades’ lips were gently parted as he slept. He looked at peace while his worry lines had ironed out in the night. His breath smelled like a hint of mint and whisky; a very manly smell that made me want to purr in contentment. If we could stay like this all day, I wouldn’t complain. It was safe here in this bed with him.

I should have reservations, but I don’t. My gut had never steered me wrong before while working at the club. Hades leaned back to stretch, and I watched his rippling torso move with his body. Hades was certainly built, and it brought a blush to my cheeks as I looked away quickly. His smirk let me know he saw me ogling him, but he didn’t say anything. He was too much of a gentleman for that.

“You are hungry. Let’s get you fed.” His voice was demanding yet gentle at the same time. “Come on, little angel. Get ready for the day and I will meet you back here.”

I thought the dream last night would escape me the longer I was awake. That was what my other dreams did. Dreams of running outside being free as a child should be. By mid-afternoon I would have forgotten all about my dreams the night before. This dream was printed in my mind. It wasn’t a dream; it felt like it was a reality.

Could it have been? The man in the gladiator mask seemed real enough. I could feel the claws from his hands gripping my ankle as he pulled me from the room. The coldness of the air as it slipped in when I put my drawings and paintings away. Too real. I shivered and shut the shower head off to get dressed.

Hades was leaning up against the door frame when I opened the door. He was wearing a tight black shirt with black dress pants. His muscular arms flinched as he uncrossed his arms and held out his hand. “Ready?” He smiled and I took his hand gladly. He intertwined our fingers, and I couldn’t help but blush. I had no reason to; he slept in my bed last night and that was intimate enough.

“I want to show you around today. Loukas said you wanted to go outside.” I smiled a genuine smile.

“I would love that. I don’t remember the last time I felt the grass beneath my feet.” Hades’ large smile turned smaller at the mention of that. I would have to remember to not bring up such silly things.

“Angel.” He had me look at him. “Don’t be sorry. I want you to tell me these things. I want to give you new memories, happy ones.” I couldn’t help myself as I stood on my tip-toes and placed a kiss on his cheek. Sparks flew across my lips and Hades stood in shock. Looking down at me, he leaned closer and gave me the exact same kiss on the cheek. “You can do that all you want, angel.” I giggled as he led me to the dining room.

Hades made sure to fill my plate again and the doctor was also at breakfast. He watched what food I ate and how much and gave me several vitamins. Along with that he had me sit for IV therapy that included some steroids to help me feel even hungrier. “You are very underweight. We need you gaining quicker. Your stress levels have decreased so you will feel more fatigue. Be sure to take naps and get plenty of rest,” he lectured while Hades crossed his arms and scowled.

“Don’t lecture her, Aramose, or you will be the one with the lecture,” Hades growled out in irritation and Aramose looked like he just wet himself.

“Hades, it’s all right. He is just concerned.” Looking back at the doctor, I patted his hand. “It’s alright, he is just worried. Hades will take good care of me.” Aramose looked back and forth between the two of us and his eyebrows rose to the top of his head.

“My apologies My Lord.” He bowed to the ground at my feet. “I did not mean it, Mistress. Please forgive me.”

Looking up at Hades in question, he grabbed my wrist and led me out of the room. “He’s an idiot,” Hades ruffed. I laughed at his childish behavior as he led me to the front doors of the mansion.

As quick as Hades had taken me outside, I couldn’t help but slow down to where he was practically pulling me. His pace slowed and turned back. I could feel him watching from my peripheral vision. He couldn’t possibly know what was going through my head right now.

The sun felt warm. It was a natural light that tickled my skin as it shone down on me. Letting go of Hades’ hand, I stepped off the sidewalk he was leading me down and into the grass. It was a lush, emerald green, much brighter than in pictures that I had seen. Each blade of grass had its own look, small, jagged pieces where it had been cut on each blade of grass. I threw my shoes off quickly and felt it between my toes. Refreshing, like it was always meant to be here. My body wanted to sink into the ground and feel the warmth the Earth was giving. The urge to run through the grass, through a forest and dive into a lake was strong. I wanted it all; I wanted to spend the rest of my days outdoors. My eyes teared up as I looked to Hades, standing with an expression I had never seen before until this moment. Sorrow.

Hades

I tend to forget how I take things for granted. I don’t remember the last time I looked at a flower to smell its aroma or look on its beauty. Jillian stood there, standing in the grass of the well-manicured lawn. She didn’t care for the carefully placed stones that you could walk to the nearby fountain; she didn’t care about the statues that decorated the entire yard. Jillian was happy because she was touching the soil, the dirt and it wasn’t even Earth like she thought.

I will keep our home like this, in its tiny bubble if I must. One day soon I will have to tell her the truth. The sun she looks at and the blue sky she adores is just a haze of power cloaking her from the true look of the Underworld. What would she say when I show her our true world, that she is meant to be down here with me? The sky would be tinted red, and the colors of Earth were just darker down here. An orb of light will light the day and a moon like orb to brighten the night but nothing of what Earth is.

The Underworld is its own place. Not as depressing as one may make it to be, but it’s still different.

Lost in thoughts, I find her with a stray tear flowing down her cheek, not of sadness but of happiness. Jillian is happy to be standing in a pile of grass meant to be pleasing to the eye. Jillian should have never had to cry over grass or the sun shining in her face; she should have never dealt with the suffering because of me.

Jillian will never accept me, and I don’t know if I can ever let her go.

She walks up to me, bare feet, and all, and puts her dainty hand on my rough face. “What’s going on in that mind of yours?” Her head tilts to the side and gives a smile. I touch her hand with mine, not wanting her to take her hand away from my cheek.

“Nothing. Come, let me show you around.”

I led her to the garden, thinking she would appreciate that most, in which she did. Each type of flower she wanted to inspect, asking its name and where they normally reside in nature. Taking her time, she touched at least one petal and smelled its sweet aroma. As we continued, she immediately grabbed my hand and pulled me to where the large fountain sat in the middle of the courtyard.

She grabbed my hand all on her own.

“Is this a wishing fountain?” she asked curiously. I laughed at her innocence. “What?” She chuckled. “It isn’t?”

I held he hand and kissed it. “It can be if you want it to be. Are you wanting to wish for something?”

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