Hades

by Larissa Ione

  “But funny.” He threw his arm around her and planted a kiss on the top of her head. “So? What’s up? Are you breaking me out of prison for something good?”

  “Yup.” They entered the portal, but instead of passing her hand over the symbol that would take them to his place, she took them to Azagoth’s realm. As they stepped out into the receiving room off the kitchen, she explained. “We’re having a picnic.”

  He scowled. “Here?”

  “Hardly.” Taking his hand, she led him through the mansion and outside to the portal that could whisk them to the human realm. Azagoth had released his restrictions on Hades’s travel, but so far, Hades hadn’t taken advantage of his newfound freedom. It was past time he did.

  He kept silent until they arrived at a sunlit meadow surrounded by mountains and looking out over a vast, azure lake. A bald eagle cast a shadow on the water as it flew overhead in search of a meal, and somewhere in the forest, a coyote yipped.

  “Crater Lake.” He inhaled the fragrant air, a bouquet of pine and summer wildflowers. “It looks just like the picture.”

  She’d done a lot of scouting to find the exact location where the photo had been taken, and Reaver had escorted her to keep her out of danger. Heck, Reaver had even arranged for her parents to meet her here a couple of days ago. They’d been sorry for the way they’d treated her, although her father had still been a little cool. But then, he’d always been a bit stuffy.

  They’d been horrified by the thought of their daughter hooking up with the Jailor of Souls, had tried to make her reconsider going back to Heaven, and when she refused, they’d promised an open line of communication. Even her brothers and sisters had agreed to contact her. It was far more than she ever would have hoped for.

  “Come on.” Squeezing Hades’s hand, she led him to the bottle of wine and basket of fried chicken, potato salad, and fruit she’d laid out on a red and white checkered blanket. Thanks to Reaver and a little invisibility spell, animals had left everything alone.

  Hades sank down on the blanket, extending one leg and propping up the other to rest one arm casually across his knee. He looked absolutely edible like that, more at ease than she’d ever seen him.

  “I’ve never been on a picnic before,” he said as he peeked into the basket.

  “I know. You told me once.” Kneeling next to him, she poured two glasses of red wine and handed one to him. “My coworkers and I used to do it all the time in Heaven. Everything is so beautiful that it makes you want to be out in nature, enjoying every minute of it.”

  His gaze dropped, and even his blue hair managed to look sad. “Do you miss it?” he asked quietly, as if worried about her answer. “You gave up so much to be with me.”

  “No,” she said fiercely, reaching over to tip his chin up so she could look him directly in the eyes. “I would have given up far more if I’d gone.”

  “I love you, Cat,” he whispered. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I hope you know that I’d do it all over again to be with you. Thousands of years of loneliness was worth every second you’ve been in my life.”

  Something caught in her chest. Tears stung her eyes. That was the first time he’d told her he loved her.

  “I love you, too,” she rasped. “I can’t believe I ever thought that Sheoul-gra couldn’t be my home. You were right. Home is where the people who want you are.”

  “Mmm.” He looked at her from over the rim of his glass, his gaze heating, focusing. Holding her in place.

  Very slowly, he set down the glass and shifted so he was on his hands and knees, prowling toward her like a tiger with prey in its sights. Excitement shot through her. Electric, shivery excitement.

  “Do you want me?” He pushed her backward, lowering his body over hers.

  “Yes,” she hissed as he scraped his fangs over her jugular. “Oh, yes.”

  One hand slid beneath her skirt and found her wet and ready. “Then take me home.”

  With so much love she thought she might burst, she very happily welcomed him home.

  <<<<>>>>

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  Coming Late 2015

  According to the news, the weather system bearing down on Damon Slake was a proven killer.

  But then, Slake was also a killer, and he could guaran-damn-tee that he was far more lethal than a thunderstorm.

  Rain and hail pelted him as he stood outside one of several secret entrances to Thirst, a vampire nightclub that operated in the shadows of a human goth hangout called The Velvet Chain. Like most upscale vamp clubs, this one catered to all otherworldly beings, as well as humans who were willing to give themselves up as a snack for those who fed on blood. And, like most upscale vamp clubs, this place even had a medical clinic. Reputation was everything, and no club owner wanted to deal with a bunch of human deaths from overfeeding, or demon deaths from a drunken bar fight.

  Which was smart, especially now, when the recent near-apocalypse had revealed the demon world to humans, causing tension, fear, and chaos. Humans were now in extermination mode, while demons were dealing with some sort of political shakeup in Sheoul, the realm humans called Hell. Slake had no idea what was going on in Sheoul, and frankly, he didn’t care. He had a job to do, and he always completed his tasks.

  After a lot of time and effort, he’d tracked his prey here, and it hadn’t been easy. The wily succubus had covered her tracks well over the last couple of decades, but Slake had a knack for ferreting out secrets, and as good as the female named Fayle was at hiding, Slake was better at finding.

  He entered the dimly-lit club, his status as a demon providing him with the ability to enter through a doorway only supernatural creatures could see. Instantly, the blare of rock music, the stench of sweating, dancing people, and the electric, sensual energy of sin assailed him. If he hadn’t been on the job, he’d revel in the club scene, would be scoping out potential partners to take home for the night.

  Partners like that sexy-as-hell medic propped against the wall near the medical station, his gaze sweeping the crowd with the intensity of a battle-wise soldier in enemy territory. Even from across the room, Slake could see the alertness in the guy’s green eyes and the readiness for anything in the subtle tautness of his body.

  And what a body it was. His black uniform stretched tight across his shoulders and abs, the rolled sleeves revealing thickly-muscled arms made to pin his partner to a mattress.

  Slake had no idea if the dude was into males, females, or both, but the guy practically oozed confidence and sex. The medic crossed his arms across his broad chest, giving Slake a prime view of a sleeve of tattoos winding from his fingers to where they disappeared beneath his uniform at his biceps and reappeared at the top of his collar. The pattern ended just below his jaw, although Slake couldn’t make out the individual designs. Damn, Slake loved tats.

  He wondered what species of demon the guy was. He wasn’t human; Slake’s ability to distinguish a blue human aura from an orangey-red demon one made that clear. Not that Slake was picky when it came to bed mates, but he drew the line at fucking any species of demon that rated a five on the Ufelskala scale of evil. Fours were bad enough, but with a five, you never knew whether or not your partner was going to kill you after you came.

  Or before you came, for that matter.

  Reluctantly tearing his attention away from the medic, Slake strode through the club, his eyes peeled for his target. There were approximately a million and a half females milling about, but none resembled the petite, black-haired Asian in the picture he’d been given two months ago by his boss at Dire & Dyre, the law firm that employed him as an Acquirer. Yup, if someone wanted something or someone, Slake was the one sent to acquire it.

  Except this job was different. This job was the one that would determine the course of the rest of his life.

  And the rest of his afterlife.

  But hey, as his boss pointed out, it was only his soul on the line.

  The jackass.

  He spied an empty booth near a little-used exit to the sewers and made a beeline to it, growling at a burly green-skinned demon who tried to slip into the seat ahead of Slake. The demon cursed, but one look at Slake’s arsenal of weapons peeking out from beneath his leather jacket gave the guy second thoughts. Probably third thoughts, too.

  A waiter brought Slake a double whiskey, neat, and he settled in, hoping his prey would show her pretty face. In the meantime, though, he didn’t see any harm in checking out the medic at the rear of the club a little more.

  That male was something special. Even his coloring was perfect. Not too tan, but not pale, and given the guy’s reddish hair, shorter in the back than in the front, Slake would bet that close up, there would be some freckles waiting for the caress of a tongue.

  Slake’s mouth watered at the thought, and he had to shift to make a little more room in his leathers, but he didn’t let his lust distract him from his mission. No, not when success meant freedom…and failure meant kissing his his soul goodbye.

  He downed half his drink and reached for his cell phone just as the thing vibrated in his coat pocket. The name that flashed on the text screen was exactly who he’d been wanting to hear from for days. Hoping for good news from his favorite underworld spy, he tapped out a message.

  Hey, Atrox, it’s about time. Tell me you have an update on our prize.

  He waited an unbearably long time for the reply. Atrox’s fat fingers and long claws weren’t exactly compatible with touchscreen keyboards. The reptilian demon had to use his knuckles to type, which Slake had found to be funny…until lizard boy used those knuckles to knock Slake on his ass.

  Finally, the phone beeped with Atrox’s incoming text. Got a lead. One of the dudes I grilled last night is a regular at Thirst. Said he’s seen the succubus several times in the company of a male with red hair and a sleeve of tats on his right arm.

  Well, now. Slake looked up at the hot medic and grinned.

  This assignment had just gotten interesting.

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  BookTrib After Dark

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  Table of Contents

  Book Description

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty