Little Saint Bride [Death and the Maiden, #1]

Chapter Ten: And Plan C is...?

How are you all feeling after that last line? Here, have a chapter to fulfill your Hadrian desires...him and Nerissa go head to head!

Media is another image I feel looks like Hadrian, KING OF THE UNDERWORLD!

Harharhar. The clue was in his name, guys. Hades. 

This chapter seems fairly short, but I think there's enough in it to post!

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A strangled noise escapes my mouth.

As soon as Hadrian awakens from his daze, he looks up at me. For a moment, he's shocked and vulnerable.

Then a smile sweeps across his face as he sees my shock and my vulnerability, and I realise he's calling bullshit on my act.

He probably called bullshit as soon as he saw me, back in the wastelands of the Underworld. Back when Mercer blabbed about my real reason for being dead, and I had a fight with a sexy rogue who was actually married to me.

He knew. He knew, all that time. And he had the upper hand. 

Nerissa 0 - Hadrian 1. 

'Surprise,' he says huskily, and I see all his perfect, white teeth as he grins. 

Like spectators at a tennis match, the nobles around us sweep their heads in my direction. My turn. How do I react to someone that was A, Smoking Hot, B, Had seen you in your underwear and C, You had attempted to seduce them after telling them of your plot to get revenge on them?

At least I am well aware of the things I can't do.

Lose my tongue.

Lose my nerve.

Lose my virginity (I'm now married and even my husband plans on rejecting me).

So what if Hadrian, the cur, the impostor, is my husband? So what if he makes me want to take off his clothes? Damn it, I can still do this! This girl CAN!

If I used Plan B several chapters ago, now is the time to enact Plan C. 

I psych myself up to speak, and I began to see a trail where I could lead Hadrian.

'Oh, my love!' I squeal, throwing my arms out towards him. 'I knew it was you, and you were waiting to surprise me! You're so romantic!'

Ginger's face is a picture of anger as I wrap my arms around Hadrian's neck. He's so close, and it feels a lot more personal now than it was when he was wearing a mask. I can't deny it feels good to touch him, even if it's only the bare skin below his jaw where there's a slight hint of stubble...

Nerissa. Pants back on. NOW.

I'm careful not to straddle him in any shape or form, in case he realises that I'd made a desperate attempt earlier to get him to have sex with me by kissing him in a room full of people simply because he'd ignored me. That kind of knowledge was leverage.

'I'm so happy we don't have to keep our relationship secret any longer,' I beam. 'The baby will be loved!'

The room goes into a stunned silence.

Ginger isn't glaring at me anymore; she's flopped back onto a footstool looking like she'd lost her favourite puppy. A tremor runs through the room, but I'm just damn praying that the King of the Underworld can get girls pregnant. 

Can't he?

Hadrian is giving me a look like he can. In fact, he's giving me a look that says Nerissa 1 - Hadrian 1.  I stroke his cheek with vicious love.