Page 17 of Hades

“Better trained thanyourchildren, I’m sure,” she scoffs. Despite her sarcastic tone, it’s easy to see they’re friends. But again, I can’t help the feeling that I’m missing something.

I take a moment to look back and forth between the two of them. “Am I missing something? I feel like there’s a punchline, and I’m not getting the joke.”

I watch as Alastor leans back in his chair and scratches his ginger goatee. The action seems so familiar, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.

“My daughter is an angel, unlike your demon spawn,” It’s easy to see they are just bantering back and forth, but I still feel as if I’m missing a key part to their conversation, so all I can do is smile and sip my drink.

“Aradia, what brings you to the JDL, Las Vegas?” Kat asks, essentially ending their banter.

“Oh, I’m just passing through, and the JDL is pet-friendly, Hades is waiting for me upstairs.”

Kat gives me a raised eyebrow. “Hades? He’s waiting for you upstairs?” she questions, and I can’t help it that,once again, I feel as if I’m missing something, and when no one elaborates, I start to babble… again. “Well, I did meet a guy named Hades. Weird, right? I thought we were going to have dinner, but then he stood me up. Well, he didn’t actually stand me up, because I didn’t tell him where I was staying. But…” I pause to catch my breath and they’re both looking at me with wide eyes and probably more questions I can answer.

“You were going to have dinner with Hades?” Alastor’s voice seems to be laden with contempt for Hades, or is it contempt for me?

“Do you know Hades?” I ask with probably a bit more excitement than is warranted for a guy who stood me up. Well, sort of. He lets out an audible scoff at my question. “Is that a yes?”

“Yeah, I know him. So you didn’t end up having dinner with him?”

His question doesn’t so much anger me as it does annoy me. It plays like an old recording in my head, something I’ve heard him say before. But that’s impossible. I’ve never met him before a few minutes ago.

I narrow my eyes at him in irritation, and he smirks as if he were someone who enjoys annoying me. I mirror his position and lean back in my chair. I have several questions for him regarding Hades and what he knows about him, but I think they need to take a back seat to what’s going on here.

“Well?” Alastor remarks as he leans forward to look me in the eyes.

“Well, what? I already said he stood me up. What more do you want me to say,” I sneer.

My head begins to pound intently as I stare at him, so much so, that I am forced to close my eyes and rub my temples.

“Are you okay?” Alastor asks as he gently touches my shoulder. “Aradia, Arie… are you okay?” he yells, and his voice sounds like an explosion inside my head. Pain ripples through my brain, so intense that I think for a moment that this is it. This is how I die.

“Arie,” he repeats, and the stabbing pain somehow worsens.

“Owww!” I let out a pain-filled cry as I hold my head and try my best not to fall over. I hear Kat call for help as Alastor kneels before me, covering my hands with his.

“It’s okay, Arie,” he whispers as he rests his forehead on mine. “I’ve got you. It’s going to be okay,” he reassures me.

“What the fuck did you do to her!” I hear a deep voice bellow through the restaurant just before Alastor is tossed to the side.

Strong arms wrap around me and lift me from my seat. I don’t try to struggle, the pain in my head too intense. Instead, I press my forehead against his warm chest as he carries me out of the restaurant and away from prying eyes. Alastor is asking him what he’s doing and why he came back.

“Hades?” I breathe out, nearly positive I vocalize his name, though I can’t be sure. I should at least tell him my room number, shouldn’t I? “You’re late,” I mumble, and I can feel his chest vibrate as he laughs.

“I know. I’m sorry, baby. But I’m here now, and you’re safe. I won’t let anything happen to you.” I feel his soft lips kiss my forehead. That action makes my head feel better and I curl into his warmth.

I’m barely aware of us exiting the lift, but I hear a door open, then close behind us.

“Argos, go lay down,” Hades commands, and I wonder where he’s taken me. I thought we were heading to my room, but I don’t know anyone or anything named Argos.

“Come on, boy,” Alastor repeats, and I hear the distinct sound of paws chasing after him.

I’m about to ask where we are when Hades places me down on the soft bed. My eyes flicker open momentarily, long enough for me to see my pile of discarded outfit choices from our non-existent dinner, and to recognize that we’re in my room.

“Thank you,” I manage to say before I drift off to sleep.

HADES

It doesn’t take Aradiamore than a moment to fall asleep once I put her into bed. I want so badly to crawl in beside her and pull her against me. We would spend days wrapped in each other’s arms in another life. Those memories are from a thousand lifetimes ago but are still so vivid. Argos jumps onto the bed and takes his protective spot next to her and I make a mental note to tell Aradia that her dog’s name isn’t Hades, but rather Argos.

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