Finished, I stood and wiped my juice-stained hands on my jeans. It made me shudder just to have the stuff on my skin, but I hadn’t ingested it, so no harm done.
Mind buzzing, I walked back through the garden. The scents and sounds lulled me into a near trance. The pleasure of being in my creation was intense. I brushed my fingertips across the plants, feeling the magic flow into me. Power followed, bringing strength and confidence and dark joy.
Yes.
It felt so good.
At the back of my mind, I dimly knew that this was a dangerous path. This magic wasn’t pure and bright, but rather shadowed and dark. Not necessarily evil—I’d have to actually do evil with it for it to be evil—but it was still steeped in power and greed and strength.
And I had done evil with it. I’d nearly killed Lucifer.
As if he’d heard me thinking about him, his voice drifted over me. “Well, well. If it isn’t my new nemesis.”
I turned, spotting the beautiful fallen angel striding toward me. His golden hair gleamed, despite the dark night, and his eyes glinted with something I couldn’t identify.
“Lucifer.” My heart raced with the slightest tinge of fear.
A shark’s smile tugged up at the corner of his lips. “You’re afraid.”
“Am not.” I swallowed hard.
He stopped in front of me, all lean strength and broad shoulders. His eyes drifted to Alia’s cottage, then back to me.
“Are you mad at me?” I asked. “I almost killed you.”
“That’s all right. I liked it.” His smile was smooth.
“You liked almost dying?”
“Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.” The strangest thing was, he sounded genuine. What was his life like, if he thought that? “Now, tell me what you’re doing out of your cell.”
“I’m looking for Hades.” As much as I didn’t want to, it was my only choice.
“Well, isn’t that convenient? I’m off to see him as well. Shall we walk together?”
5
Hades
As usual of late, the library provided no refuge.
I stared at the books in front of me, unseeing. The leather spines and gold text of the titles blurred together. I’d come to one of the many small libraries in the castle, choosing one dedicated to war strategy. It was generally a favorite, and I’d committed most of the volumes to memory. Still, I’d thought to find inspiration for how to approach Seraphia. I needed her help, as much as I hated to admit it. Her willing help. This was not something I could force her to do. Therefore, ours was a battle of wits and will.
Normally, this library would be the perfect starting point for such an endeavor. And yet, every volume looked as dull as dust.
You don’t read fiction?
Seraphia’s words echoed in my mind. It’d been weeks since she’d spoken them, yet I could still hear her voice exactly as it had sounded. That voice haunted me, along with her scent. Her taste.
I’d never had any interest in stories that were not true, yet she seemed to enjoy them.
Why the hell did I care?
Fortunately, I heard footsteps in the hall outside.
A distraction. Just what I needed.
I turned toward the door, sensing her magic before I saw her. That fresh scent of flowers, accompanied by the feel of a gentle breeze. My heart sped, pounding against my ribs. I felt my fists clench, an unconscious reaction.
There were so many unconscious reactions around her.
The door swung open, and Lucifer enter, followed by Seraphia. The devil grinned cockily. “Look what I found wandering the premises.”
I looked at her, hating that I was the slightest bit impressed. “You escaped.”
“You underestimated me. Again.”
I had, and the knowledge shamed me. The hot burn of it was uncomfortable. Certainly unfamiliar. I wasn’t sure that I’d ever felt such a thing before. The mere idea of feeling anything at all was enough to turn my stomach. Yet actually doing it, and feeling an emotion as stupid as shame?
It was unforgivable.
“I won’t make that mistake a second time.” I strode toward her. “In fact, you’re not going to leave my sight.”
She quirked a brow. “Ever?”
“Ever.”
“Not even when you sleep?”
“I’ll chain you to me.” The idea made my heart race and my blood heat, two horribly human symptoms that I needed to eradicate at once.
“That’s my cue.” Lucifer backed out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Suddenly, I was alone with Seraphia. Some of my initial rage had faded, leaving room for a clearer head. My mind immediately went to memories of her. Memories of touching her. Tasting her.
She backed up, gaze wary. “Don’t look at me like that.”
The heat that I felt had to be reflected on my face. I clenched my jaw and schooled my features. “Better?”
“I prefer you as a block of ice, so yes.” She crossed her arms. “Your chaining plan is not going to work.”
“I’m sure I can find a way.”
“I’m going to assume you are joking.” Irritation flashed on her face, and her will of steel glinted in her eyes. “I’m not your pawn, Hades. I’ve proved that once, and you’re not going to enjoy it if I need to prove it again.”
Her strength blazed, and I liked it.
Heat flared within me.
As the god of this realm, every single being within it bowed before me.
She didn’t.
And fates help me, I liked it.
The pleasure of it streaked across my nerve endings, hot and wild. I turned and strode toward the window, desperate for the fresh air.
How did she control my body like this, without so much as a touch? For millennia, I had been in control. Then she arrived…
The large window was open, providing a view of the restless midnight sea. Waves crashed far below, and the wind carried the scent of the ocean. Still, it couldn’t drive the smell of her from my memory. It had imprinted on me, permanently becoming part of my soul.
I rested my hand on the window and leaned out. For the briefest moment, the sight of the sea calmed my mind. Then the memory of a similar scene flashed in my mind. I’d kissed her on a windowsill just like this. The things we’d done…
Fates.
Heart thundering, I spun around to face her. There was no place safe from her, so I might as well look at her. “Why are you here?”
“I’m willing to learn my magic.”
Understanding dawned. “You need a teacher.”
“Yes, like before.”
This was perfect. More than I could have hoped for. Yes, it was dangerous to train her to learn a magic that could defy even mine. But she had to learn that magic to help me with my goals.
And I was going to turn her to my side, anyway. I needed a queen.
I felt the corners of my lips tug upward. It was an almost entirely unfamiliar sensation. “I want something in exchange.”
“You were willing to help me before.”
“I was. But you didn’t want my help before. Now you do. So I want something in exchange.”
“Bastard.”
“I never had a mother. Can’t possibly be a bastard.”