Kingdom Of Madness

Chapter One: The Life of a Goddess

"Get away from me!"

My screams echoed in the surrounding darkness. How did I get here? Wasn't I in my chambers but moments ago? Now, something is chasing me! Pitch black was all I could see. It's like I've lost my sight. Smaug filled my lungs from my panting as I ran. To where? I don't know. Maybe I'm in the fields outside my home? The Underworld feels colder than usual.

"Gorenora!" A voice yelled.

Flashes of a man's face appeared above me as I suddenly found myself on my back.

"What the hell?"

"Gorenora! Wake up!" Father's voice broke through the other.

The other voice was deep and melodic. I could listen to it forever. I didn't want to awaken. I wanted to stay with the melodic voice. I felt my chest burn as the face of the man was starting to become clearer the further I slipped into the darkness. He smiled at me. A kind, loving smile. But, he was still blurry. The only other thing I could make out was golden eyes.

"Hades, darling. What's going on? What is wrong with our daughter?" Mother's voice drifted past in a whisper.

"A premonition perhaps? I'm not sure, Persephone. I thought at first she was dying again." Father answered.

I thought for a moment. A premonition? About this man? Who could he be? He definitely wasn't the one chasing me moments ago. He's above me like a lover would be.

His eyes looked at me longingly. It's almost like he already knew me. Could this be my soul mate? Many are gifted with a mate and Mother used to tell me about how she and Father met.

The story Mother told me goes as such. Hades the unlucky brother of the three major Gods was given a gift by the fates. They gave him the promise of a soul mate. Someone who would love him no matter what. One day Mother got into an argument with her mother and stormed off into the woods.

She got lost and from the shadows Father, she met. He showed up out of thin air and startled her. She was repulsed by him at first and was devastated they were mates. She had heard all the terrible stories about him. But after they talked, they met like this every day for a decade.

They fell in love with each other this way. It was only until her mother began to suspect something, is when they decided to set up the 'kidnapping'. Father said my Mother was the mischievous genius that came up with the plan. I could believe it, knowing my Mom.

"Gorenora? So, that's your name." The mysterious male whispered sensually into my ear, taking me away from my thoughts.

Everything felt so real. I could feel his deep, hot breaths against the skin of my neck as he pampered it with gentle kisses. I still couldn't make out his face, but I felt the roughness of his stubble against my palm as I touched him. His long dark hair fell over his face as he pulled me closer to him. I could feel the silkiness of it as strands brushed against my cheeks.

His face was slowly closing in on my own. My usually frozen heart was thumping wildly in my chest as the tension grew. I could even feel the raw energy of our undeniable chemistry. How could this be a dream?

"Who said it's a dream, Princess?"

"C-can you read my mind?"

"I am in your mind, Beautiful."

I was flabbergasted and confused. I knew mates could do this after they bonded but this was outstanding. But, how could such a perfect male specimen be a mate to a monster? Maybe this was just a dream? My mind's desperate attempt to hold onto my sanity.

I found myself slipping more and more into the darkness lately. It was a side effect of losing my soul and denying the fates. This could all be just a figment of my imagination. A trick of the mind!