Page 85 of Seeking Hades' Ember

Chapter 40

Loukas

Hades knows how to make a statement.

Hades engulfed the room in flames, setting couches, furniture, and even the drapes ablaze as Hera starts ordered Celestial fairies and Angels to come to douse the room with water. Rubbing my forehead, I step towards Zeus, who looked like he pissed himself.

Zeus could be completely oblivious of Hades' power. It is only by Hades' good graces Zeus is in the position he is holding. I knew that Hades didn't trust Zeus. Still, with the political advancements and knowledge he had regarding the whereabouts of gods and their businesses, I had to take the opportunity to discuss the helm and the situation at hand.

Was I going against Hades' wishes? Yeah, sure, I was. Only a fool would think that Zeus could devise a plan of this magnitude, to take away Hades' mate and steal a bunch of gods to do it. He isn't that what could you say, tactful? Why do you think Athena has to hang around him in his war room all the damn time? Zeus is just dense. What sweet justice it would be if Athena ended up being his mate. Her being asexual, he wouldn't be able to do a thing.

Laughing internally, I walked up to the King and Queen of the Celestial Kingdom, both still in shock of Hades' outburst. I've seen explosions like these before, this one is a bit more on the extreme side, and I was dying to know why.

"Your Majesties." I bowed while my tail caught a falling vase. Hera looked me up and down and scowled as she crossed her arms.

"Loukas, what are you doing here? Trying to play both sides?" Zeus started choking on his own spit, staring at Hera like she had lost her head.

"Hera." He went to help retract her statement, but she just held her hand up at him. I smirked as Zeus backed down immediately. He was still in deep shit from when he went on a power trip so many years ago. Zeus is still in the doghouse. Everyone in the damn palace knew he hadn't gotten anything in well over 300 years once he realized no one could compare to Hera. She should have been the goddess of beauty, her elegance, grace, and poise. Hell, her bravery standing up to a pathetic god that cheated on her and didn't bat an eyelash as she walked out of his bed chambers, never to look back.

She got herself a good angel, Michael. I would bet my soul that he was her mate. "Well," she drawled. "What is the meaning of this? Playing both sides will get you nowhere. You better not be trying to double-cross someone." I held my hands up in defense.

"Hey now, I'm the one that helped rescue Ember from the very beginning! Even before Zeus executed the order to have her brought here! Which he forgot about, by the way." Bam, threw him under the bus just like he did me. Zeus' eyebrows narrowed as he whispered some profanities under his breath.

"Now, I don't like Ember in that way," I defended. "She's the first person that showed interest in friendship to me since the first day I was created." Hera rolled her eyes as she flicked some rubble from her shoulder.

"Not buying it." Zeus was nodding his head, agreeing with me until Hera denounced my confession. Now he is back to deciding with Hera. Really Hades? You gave this guy the head job?

"It's true. Hades is my creator and master. His friends are gods who hold closer status to him. I'm his damn errand boy and private investigator. He nor his friends would call me a friend. I am beneath them, but Ember doesn't see me that way! So, what I want to be close to her. Gain a little attention. I was friends with her first! It isn't any of your business anyway."

"Watch your language. You are speaking with the high gods, you know." Zeus snapped. I backed up and bowed my head.

"I apologize. I am being true to you with my words and intentions. I am very concerned about Ember's safety." Hera's face softened, and Zeus looked at her as if what to do. Gods, Zeus is such a suck-up. How can the gods not see through this bullshit?

"What has happened that has him all in a fuss?" I asked. Hera turned to Zeus, and he nodded for confirmation.

"Hermes has been taken, and there was a note on the door of his home threatening Hades and his mate." Anger pulled into me as my powers sizzled. Hades was more lenient when he created me, giving me powers more than of an ordinary demon. I felt my horns grow longer at the thought of Ember being stolen. This time they had been far too careful to hide themselves. They almost got away with it the first time.

"Loukas, Malachi is the one that left the note." Hera huffed. I scoffed as I rubbed my chin. He's an idiot too, he couldn't have possibly come up with a plan like this. Could it be Persephone herself? Getting revenge from staying down in the Underworld too long? She always enjoyed herself when she received gifts from Hades but not once displayed any affection towards him. She had grown quite hostile towards the end of her stay but was always compliant staying in the Underworld.

Persephone could have planned this, gotten revenge on Hades by stealing his mate. But why? She was saved by Gabriel in the end. She should be head over heels in love and not want to get revenge. And why the hell is Malachi involved?! Fuck, my head began to hurt.

"They have gone to the Black Claw Pack in the Earth Realm." Athena walked into the catastrophic scene. Bits of fire still being put out while Fairies were ordering new furniture to be brought in. "I suggest you go in your human form. Wolves are superstitious creatures and finding out that a demon and three gods entering their territory undetected would cause problems. Not only that, but they will also be helping the God of the Underworld with his mate. Tread lightly, gentleman."

Ares and Vulcan looked at me with disappointed faces. They were angry that I had divulged such information to Zeus, but I had no choice. I knew he wasn't involved. If he was, he would have been more assertive checking on Ember's status of her being retrieved. Now that Zeus knows, he can find some high ranking Witches to make a potion to help find the invisible perpetrator. The angry gods walked towards me, changing into their human appearance, and I did the same.

Ares grabbed hold of my upper arm. "You've got a lot of explaining to do," he growled. "You broke his trust; don't expect to live for long. Ember can't even save you from this." Vulcan nodded to his mother and held on to me as well.

"Let's go."

Ember

The wind rushed around us and my hair tangled into the wind. It was a large cyclone being thrust into a void of nothing as Hades held me close. This was far worse than when he transported me from room to room in his palace. This was long-distance and made me sick. Clutching tightly to his cloak, I could still feel the anger rolling off him in waves.

Sure, I'd be ticked too, Malachi took our friend! Hermes had played some jokes, sure, but he was always loyal to Hades. Hermes stuck around even after Hades PMSed for a thousand some years. We had to find the Sphere of Souls and fast. I wanted to bang my head up against a brick wall to shake any sort of memories that might be lodged in my brain, but it would be useless.

Talking to Elea to see if she could break open some doors in my head would be useless. She would probably suggest we go mate, and everything would wake me up. It wasn't a bad idea, but how horny she is, I wasn't sure if she would stop and make sweet love to him all night.

I guess it wouldn't be so bad.

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