Page 28 of Seeking Hades' Ember

Ares knocked Loukas in the shoulder. “Not a good idea. Let’s just watch another movie. Less blood huh?” I nodded, and he went and picked out another movie, Beauty and the Beast. Vulcan put a pillow on his lap and beckoned me to lay down. My legs were across Ares and Hermes as we all began to watch.

I fell in love with the music, the actors and the actresses. How a simple girl changed the heart of a beast entranced me. By the time we got to the end, I felt my eyes flutter. Trying to defy gravity, I shook my head to wake up. Only I couldn’t shake my head again because Vulcan was playing with my hair.

Cerberus had his head on the couch, watching me as I finally shut my eyes.

Hades

I had spent 12 hours in Tartarus, beating, torturing, and making that pathetic waste of soul wish he had never thought about hurting her or anything else. The evilest, vile, and pathetic demons that live here on the outskirts of the pit were even threatened by my own ministrations of abuse. They fed from him, the pain and the suffering. Some of them won’t have to feed for days; they love it when I grace their presence.

Many demons came to watch, the walking corpses they were didn’t even startle me anymore. The first few times I saw these demons that I created I was appalled at how they would suck the life out of the tortured souls.

It was getting late, around midnight back at home, and I needed to be back and see the light that gives me hope that we would be happy again. Wrapping up the last session with Teddy Johnson, I threw my robe back on, the blood still stained my skin as I slipped it on.

“When will you be back, My Lord? You were gone for five days. We had missed you,” Orpho, the leader of the torture demons, asked as I washed my hands in the basin. Red blood dripped into the water as I smirked.

“I’m not sure. I’ve found my mate. If I find out more about this Teddy Johnson and what he did to her, I will come back.” Orpho bowed and had Teddy thrown into a cage. He would get to rest for an hour before the next shift of demons came in.

With a flash of smoke and lightning, I reappeared in front of the palace estate, not wanting to startle Jillian if she somehow left her room in the night. Opening the door, I could see the flickering of the television in the main living room next to the kitchen. Walking slowly in my bare feet, my black robe trailed behind as I saw Ares slumped in the recliner with a beer in his hand.

Jillian’s head was resting on Vulcan’s lap with a pillow propping her head slightly up. My fists tightened, still not over my high of inflicting pain. Right now, I could take all the gods and the demon holding Jillian’s feet and make them turn to dust.

“What. Is. The. Meaning. Of. This.” My voice was low, but immediately the men perked up. The rage in my eyes couldn’t compare to the fear they were having now. I felt in the pit of my belly as the smoke started to rise from my body.

“Wait, Hades, let us explain!” Hermes laid Jillian’s feet back down gently on the couch as she to stirred.

“Why are you touching my mate?” I seethed and walked forward, ready to grab Hermes until I heard a small cry coming from the couch.

“No, please don’t take me,” she whimpered. Immediately Vulcan shook her arm to wake her.

“She wasn’t sleeping too hard. I think it was just the start of her dream,” Vulcan said.

Jillian sat up and started rubbing her eyes. “Hades?” she whispered as she looked around. Before she could get a good look at me, I willed a suit over my body to cover up the dried blood. “Hades, you’re home!” She got up from Vulcan quickly and ran to give me a hug. I grabbed her, shocked she would run to me so quickly.

“You worked too late. I waited up on you.” She looked up at me and smiled, and I couldn’t help but smile back. Brushing her blonde hair out of her face, she then buried her face back into my chest.

She waited up for me.

“Hades,” Hermes spoke to break the spell I was completely under.

“What?” I snapped, causing Jillian to appear concerned. I held onto her tighter and she immediately went back into my embrace. Loukas kept weaving side to side with his feet, not sure what to say.

“Out with it.” I kept my voice even not to disturb Jillian.

“There was an incident today. We tried to get ahold of you,” Vulcan spoke up and straightened out his suit. “She fell asleep and had one of those night terrors and we had a hard time waking her up. Jillian had to visit the infirmary.” Letting out a growl, Jillian held onto me tighter.

“She’s tired. We will talk about this in the morning. You all are dismissed.” I glared at each of them as I picked her up, one arm under her legs and one behind her back. She giggled and smiled at me as she wrapped her arms around my neck. Giving her a kiss on the forehead, she stopped giggling and nuzzled into my neck.

“I’m Okay now that you are here. You make me feel safe. Sorry I’m so clingy.” A light tint of pink kissed her cheeks as I just gave her a little squeeze.

I felt instantly hard. This whole time I was worried about her never having feelings for me and here she was openly attaching herself. I needed to tell the truth. She was strong enough now and the bond has really taken ahold of her and I’m sure she has questions.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I’ll tell her who we really are.

Taking the stairs two and three at a time I gently put her down on the floor as we reached my room. “You are staying with me tonight.” Jillian beamed up happily and I gave her one of my shirts to wear. Ever since the first night she wore one of my shirts, which was all I wanted her to wear. Maybe one day, nothing would be underneath it.

I internally groaned. One step at a time, Hades, one step at a time. I knew the bond was working her to trust me, to be attached to me, but for me, I was already attached to her and only wanted to get closer. Tasting those lips, that’s all I want to do right now, but not until the truth. I can’t betray her, not again.

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