Tempting the Fates

Chapter 18

After Hades agreed to help me find my dad, the tension between us vanished. We settled back on the couch together and started getting to know one another. I regaled stories of growing up as an only child with a single dad, my fascination with foreign languages and the human heart, and the long, arduous path I'd blazed to get to my dream job. We didn't dare bring up the negative aspect of the last story, lest we'd ruin the progress our relationship had made.

I learned a lot about Hades, too. His birth, like my mother's, was a bit unconventional- he'd been born and subsequently swallowed by his own father (wtf?). His mother birthed several others, all of whom (except Zeus) had been swallowed as well. Zeus was able to free them, and the six of them and some of their allies fought the Titans for control. Ten years later, they won, and Hades and his two brothers drew lots for their territory.

I was fascinated by his ability to tell a story. I clung to his every word, the deep lull of his voice soothing me and exhilarating me simultaneously. "Did you ever feel cheated? Like, Zeus and Poseidon get to roam the world so freely." I remarked.

"I wasn't sad with the outcome, per se," he explained, leaning back into a more comfortable position in his seat. "The underworld isn't what I'd initially imagined for myself, but my job is important and it's fairly quiet down here. It can be lonely, sometimes." He added, shrugging.

"And that's why you ended up with Persephone." I connected the dots. He nodded, stretching his arm out along the back of the couch. His fingers gently plucked at the ends of some of my hair, which was splayed out near where his hand had ended up. I wasn't sure if he realized he was touching me. The connection between us was shifting so smoothly from strangers to... something else. There was a comfort between us that hadn't been there when I'd arrived. A shiver went down my spine as he continued to absentmindedly play with my hair- I loved when people touched my hair, but there was no way Hades knew that.

Having learned much about my fiancé, I was feeling much better about the situation I was in. Hades was a deeply devoted and passionate man, who seemed to have a solid moral compass. He was well-versed, and easily one of the smartest men I'd ever met. He was pretty much running two of the three kingdoms – Earth and the Underworld- by himself. Zeus and Poseidon didn't get mention much, but when he spoke of his brothers, he seemed torn. There were hurt feelings (over what exactly, I wasn't sure), but there was still a deep bond between them. Family was important to him. If he'd been a mortal man, he would have been exactly the type I'd have been attracted to on Earth.

No one had bothered us as we spent hours together, learning everything we could. After a quick lunch, we got to business discussing the basics of the Underworld and its areas- The Rivers, Elysian Fields, Asphodel Meadows, Mourning Fields, Isles of the Blessed, and Tartarus.

"That's where your father is held, isn't it?" I asked when he mentioned the latter.

"Yes, along with all his other siblings. They were banished there after the war, and one of my most important jobs is to make sure he stays down there for eternity." He looked fiercely serious. "If any of them were to escape... I just can't imagine what would happen."

Over the last several hours, we had moved closer. Our proximity almost seemed to match the emotional connection between us. As we got closer emotionally, our bodies followed. We were facing each other, our knees touching. Hades' left arm was sprawled along the back of the couch and my right arm was only an inch or so away from his. The urge to reach out and hold his hand was hard to ignore, but I fought it. I didn't want to move too quickly.

I took a deep breath, his last statement sinking in. I could smell his cologne again, and it was dulling my other senses. I wanted to just sit and drink in everything- the sight of him, the smell of him, the way his touch lit me up like a firework... but there was business to deal with.

"We won't let that happen." I tried to sound brave.

He gave me a reassuring smile, but the fear never left his eyes. I knew that this mystery usurper likely wasn't after political aspirations. Olympus sounded like it was an easy place to gain rank- kiss ass to Zeus, make yourself indispensable, and you were in. No, whoever was trying to hurt us was someone trying to tip the scales. Someone wanted the world as we knew it to end.

As terrified as I was for my dad, my arrangement wasn't just about him anymore. I wanted him to live, yes, but if I didn't marry Hades and help create a stronghold in the Underworld, there was a good chance no one would survive. If the Titans were to escape, or if death was no longer that last unavoidable monster... bad things would happen.

We sat quietly for some time after that. Hades was either lost in thought or simply enjoying the peace, because he didn't move from his place or speak. I leaned my head back against the couch and looked up at the ceiling. The warmth of the fireplace and the comforting silence lulled me to sleep in a matter of minutes.

It took me a few moments to realize I was in the Dark Place. My surroundings shifted, and I landed in my dream.

I was walking down a long hallway, which was dimly lit by a couple of flickering wall sconces. The air around me was still and quiet, apart from a thumping coming from the opposite end of the hall. Every thump echoed in my chest, like it was my heart beating. The sound got louder with every step I took. The walk to get down the lengthy corridor took time, but at long last I reached the door I was looking for. The thumping was ringing in my ears.

The door I had stopped at looked like an ordinary door at first. But when I reached for the handle, something slammed into the door from inside. Startled, I jumped back. I didn't stop moving until I hit the wall behind me. Something was trying to get out, and it didn't feel like something good.

An ear-shattering scream resonated from inside the room. The scream had come from a woman, and she sounded distressed. I wanted to call out to her but speaking in my dreams was always difficult if I hadn't experienced the scenario at least a few times.

Another thump reverberated from the door. The sound of her screams grew louder and louder, raising in pitch to an ear drum-shattering level. I threw my hands over my ears, my knees buckling from under me. I slid down the wall, squeezing my eyes shut.

"HELP!" she screamed.

I awoke screaming. The sound of each breath rasping out of me echoed across the room. I was hyperventilating, my hand grasping my chest. The room was empty, silent. As my eyes filled with tears, I realized that I needed comfort. I wanted comfort... from Hades. I wasn't sure when during the last several hours we'd hit that level of intimacy- when he'd become a fount of comfort- but my body craved it like it craved sleep.

"Callie! Are you okay?" The door of the study hurdled open and Hades hurried in from the hallway. He moved faster than my blurry eyes could comprehend. He knelt before me and held my arms while I tried to calm myself. "Are you okay? Was it another nightmare?"

When I nodded, he pulled me into a hug. I buried my face into the crook of his neck and wrapped my arms around him. I felt so safe and supported by him, in a way I never imagined I would. He caressed my back, whispering soft affirmations to ease my anxiety. My breathing slowed and the tears seemed to evaporate before they could spill down my cheeks.

Once I felt calm enough, I pulled away, but he didn't let go completely. One of his hands clasped onto mine, igniting that spark inside me again. My eyes drifted up to meet his and I could hear my heart beating in my ears. His irises were almost glowing with a silent longing. Heat blossomed along my skin as the sexual tension rose in the air.

Hades began to lean in. This is it. He's going to kiss me, and surprise- I think I want him to. I want him to. He was close enough now that I could feel the heat from his skin and his face went out of focus. My eyelids drifted shut and my breath caught in anticipation. Any moment now...

There was a loud knock on the door, shattering the tension around us.