Page 32 of Seeking Hades' Ember

“No, I just found this out, but Selene hasn’t been seen in over a week and it isn’t like her. She always has meetings with demi-gods and Zeus. No one is supposed to know. The angel Irine told me she had missed a series of meetings with Hera over the past few days. It accidentally slipped while I was interviewing her about Malachi as to why he was even at the club. The warrior angels as well as Werewolf trackers are now involved in the search. They have teamed up to find her, reporting foul play. Her home was ransacked, and her Sphere of Souls has been taken.”

The Sphere of Souls was Selene’s way of pinpointing certain characteristics of souls that would make a good match. Selene has the final say if souls should be matched, but the Sphere of Souls cut her time in half. No one can even use the sphere without Selene. She created it herself and can only be unlocked by her own heart’s rhythmic patterns. The kidnapper must have realized this and grabbed Selene along with it.

“As much as this is upsetting about Selene, I’m worried about Malachi. What did Irine say about Malachi being on Earth and in that club?” Loukas stood back up and pulled on his collar.

“I know you don’t want to hear this, My Lord. But…” Loukas paused again and slowly back up as I stood up.

“Spit. It. Out,” I growled.

“Malachi is Persephone’s mate. He wanted to buy your mate to make sure you never saw her so you could be alone through eternity.” Loukas’s face paled as my human complexion melted from my face. Losing complete and utter control wasn’t something I did very often but the words slipping from this demon’s mouth had me seething. I could feel my black hair slip and my bright blonde hair flow to my shoulders. The darkened skin complexion lightened instantly, and the imperfections slid from my body.

My tattoos stayed in place, as I pulled Loukas by the throat. Ares came to me but backed up as soon as I held up my hand to stop him. My black robes pooled around me as my bare feet gripped the floor.

“Explain,” I hissed.

“Malachi wanted to teach you a l-lesson,” Loukas started to gasp. “He wanted to keep Jillian away from you for 1000 years so you would feel his pain as he longed for P-Persephone.” Loukas gasped for air as I let him go. The selfish bastard. It had been 1000 years since she had left, and he is still hell bent on revenge.

“Does anyone other than Irine know about this?”

“I-I don’t know.” Loukas continued to rub his throat while he was piled on the floor. There may be a connection here.

“How did Malachi know that Jillian was your mate? Did he kidnap Selene?” Ares stood with his fists clenched. “I’ll kill him. Selene is one of the most precious gods and he dare mess with the mating processes. We are all still waiting for our mates!” Ares walk to the wall, easily punching a hole. There was too much testosterone in this room.

I needed Jillian, and I needed her now. Just her presence would help me calm the demon inside me. Taking a large breath, my hair quickly returned to black, my skin tanned, and my clothing turned to its proper attire of dark jeans and a black shirt.

“Loukas, you need to go back. Put some feelers out on Malachi again. I’ll have my secretary set up a meeting with Zeus. I don’t care if we aren’t supposed to know; it now has us involved with too many connections pointing to Malachi and now my mate is involved.” Loukas nodded quickly and exited the room as I was left with Ares, staring at a damn hole in the wall.

“Are you done, Ares?” Ares could be a monkey at times, hell even like a gorilla. He wanted to smash, break, kill and rage war on any country or person that looked at him funny but there was one thing about him that not many knew. He had a heart, and he wanted a mate. Doing every woman that graced his presence over the centuries had torn him inside out. Now he just lifts and answers the prayers to wolf packs for strength, often joining them.

Ares tutted and turned, his scarred face on display. No longer the playboy smirk that laid on his lips, just his true form of battle reminders. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, Ares.” I patted his shoulder in comfort, something I normally didn’t do, and he gave a twitch of a smile. Walking out the door to find Jillian, I hear Cerberus in my head.

“Master, pool, NOW!”

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