Page 39 of Seeking Hades' Ember

Chapter 20

Jillian

My mouth couldn't move. I'm Hades' soulmate? What is a soul mate? It sounded serious, but I wasn't sure what it could all entail. I haven't been taught about love, just the world of men pawing all over women in a strip club. There was no love involved at all. Just the mindless touching, watching, and sometimes the sex.

Hades' knuckles brushed my cheeks again, something he really liked to do, which I didn't mind because I felt the sparks fly through my cheeks. "Do you feel that?" he mumbled while I tilted my head into his palm. "The sparks, do you feel them?" I nodded my head in understanding while he continued.

"Every soul that is created is not complete; it is missing something. It is missing a vital part that could make them whole. I never really understood what all that meant, and I didn't care about it at all until you." Warmth surged through my body that he would think of me this way. Was I his missing piece? I was just the disposable extra help for most of my life, and he was this god that could control everything in the underworld. I couldn't be that special.

I was mortal, I was meant to die in time, and he would live on forever. Does this mean he would have to live on without his soul mate?

"You will live with me, forever." His voice was stern as he lifted my chin. His eyes were dark as his gaze bore into me. "Once we complete our bond to one another, you will stay with me, and we will forever be together."

This was some fairy tale stuff going on right here. Was he pulling my leg? Do guys do that? Boyfriends, I mean? Make these promises and then not deliver? I've only seen a couple movies, and so far, there is always a guy making promises he doesn't keep. My throat felt constricted as I felt the weight of my questions pounding me lower into the ground.

"Hades?" I gazed into his eyes while he held me to him close. "This all seems so… unreal."

He hummed, "It does, doesn't it?" His hand ran through my now thickening hair and held the back of my neck. "I know you have questions and a lot of them. Let's leave the soul mate part out of it right now and get used to where we live, hm?"

That sounded like a good plan, one step at a time.

Hades

Jillian's beautiful eyes held so much confusion, questions, and doubt. I wanted to tell her everything, every last detail that led me to her, but we would get to all that information in time. Jillian is my soul mate, and that brief explanation left her speechless. She doesn't have a full grasp on love, and I was forcing her to accept a bond she would have no clue about.

Fucking idiot.

"How about we start with the beginning?" Jillian nodded as I gently picked her up, making sure not to touch her bandages. The physician was able to stitch her up nicely, repeating that it would hardly scar. He had already noticed that they had begun to heal, which he found strange but then again, he wasn't used to dealing with humans much. My mate was a fighter.

Taking Jillian to the living room, we walked past the large portrait of me on that damn throne. Jillian's eyes sat on the portrait as we walked by.

"Hades, that wasn't a joke gift, was it?" she inquired.

"No, it wasn't," I sighed as I held her close.

"So, have you always been grumpy then?" She giggled while I gave a chuckle. Her laugh was addicting.

"Yes, I suppose I have. For most of my life. Wouldn't you be grumpy too if your own father ate you?" Jillian gasped as she gripped my shirt.

"It's true then? He ate you and the rest of the gods?" I nodded while I came to the living room and sat on the couch. Several servants brought in a variety of dishes ranging from kinds of pasta, hamburgers, steak, fries, salads, and fruits. I made a small plate for Jillian to munch on as Vulcan came into view.

Vulcan had been extremely upset over Jillian's kidnapping; I felt terrible for the poor mate he will have one day. He would worry his ass off, making sure she was always comfortable. Jillian's eyes lit up as she saw Vulcan; he was still in his human form as he sat in the chair across from us to grab a hamburger.

"You are THE Vulcan, I mean, Hephaestus?" Vulcan smiled as she said his real name.

"Excellent pronunciation. Not many humans can pronounce it." Jillian beamed as she held her hands together. I nudged her to continue her eating, but she quickly started the conversation.

"Not to be rude, but can I see your true form? That isn't rude to ask, is it?"

We both laughed. "Yes, of course. I actually prefer my true form. I stayed this way to carry on our façade until you were ready to accept us. Good thing you took it well from the looks of it."

"I find it all fascinating!" I stuffed a strawberry into her mouth while she gave me an 'are you kidding?' look. Vulcan threw his head back and laughed.

"It's the bond; you are ready to accept your mate for who he is, and so you will with his friends." I shook my head, letting him know not to bring it up. His eyebrows went up in understanding as he stood. Straightening his shirt and running his hand through his hair, it instantly grew. Instead of looking like a Greek descendent, he was now sporting shoulder-length brown hair and a burly beard that reached the top of his chest. His muscles were significant and veiny from having to wield so many weapons for the gods.

"Woah," she breathed. "You're big." Vulcan was large and could be quite intimidating, but he was as gentle as a mouse. He never wished to hurt anyone and had one of the kindest hearts. I still couldn't understand what Zeus had planned when he paired him with Aphrodite. She could be a straight-up bitch, and no one could handle her.

Vulcan let out a hardy laugh as he sat back down to throw more food on his plate. Jillian continued to ask him questions animatedly. She wanted to know the types of things he forged and if he continued his trade. Vulcan stayed away from the topic of the Helm, a smart move on his part because I didn't need Jillian having another breakdown anytime soon. She was taking all of this like a true queen could have with this much information.

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