Hades

Chapter 21

I half expected Hades to stop me. I was calling his bluff and he actually didn't want me to leave. I thought I would see his eyes widen with realization when I actually climbed into the car and opened the garage door.  He didn't. He watched me with certainty while Ethel stared in shock, her eyes practically begging me to stay.

I put the SUV in reverse and pulled out of the garage. Then I was racing down the driveway towards the massive, haunted gate. I jammed a button on the random remote clipped to the sunvisor, hoping it would be the right one. I had never bothered to watch Hades do it when we left together. 

Mercifully, the gates groaned with protest, but opened. I waited until there was a gap just big enough for the ancient Nissan, then I floored it. It gave out a roar, the vehicle not meant for this kind of speed. I didn't care. I needed to be gone before he changed his mind.

I didn't recall much about my drive in. I remembered being so confused and so incoherent, reeling from the murder. I hadn't been able to process what had happened. But I could recall how straight and boring the drive was. The only notable thing about the whole drive had been a small village and once I was through that it was hours on a straight and quiet highway. Surely, I would pass something I knew like an unusual tree that I remembered or a certain sign. Then, I would be home.

And through the whole drive I kept thinking about my mother running out of the house and wrapping her arms around me. Tabitha would squeal with delight and beg me to spend extra time with her to make up for everything I had missed. Even my dad would be excited to see me in his quiet, subtle way. 

Sure, I would have some explaining to do, but that was only natural. They would want to know what had happened and I would provide any details that I could. But I would tell them that he had let me go, that this wasn't some crazy escape attempt. He wouldn't come looking for me. Everything would go back to normal. And normal was all I needed right now.

I couldn't stop the smile from exploding onto my face as I pulled into the driveway of the home. My home. My old car was right where I had left it and my mother was on her knees, tending to a shrub on the front lawn just like I imagined. This fit beautifully into my day dream, the one where we gardened together, planting everything from poppies to cosmos.

"Mom," I sang, barely giving myself enough time to undo the seatbelt and shut off the car before I was running to her.

She stiffened for a moment, then turned, glaring against the sun when she looked at me. Slowly, like she couldn't believe it, she got to her feet. 

"Charlotte?"

I raced towards her, ready to throw my arms around her despite the dirt that covered her jeans and shirt. 

I only pulled up short as she stepped back, her eyes wide and scanning the vehicle behind me. It took me a moment but I realized that she was looking for him. I felt a fraction of my joy deflate, but I understood her worry and I would be a fool to think that she wasn't right to be a little anxious.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed. "We told you to stay away."

The words stung. This was her first time seeing me in weeks. Hades could've dragged me off and murdered me. She would've had no idea. I hadn't written a letter or called to confirm that I was okay. I tried to remember that they were caring about the whole pack, not just themselves, like good betas. Inevitably, I would have to answer some questions.

"It's fine, he's not here," I assured.

"Where is he? Does he know you're here?" she asked. 

And at her words, a couple walking down the street turned towards us. The man quickly pulled the woman towards him, his eyes frantic. It seemed that news still traveled fast around here. They were already associating me with that monster.