“Ah, Zeus’s boy. I believe we’re related. I’m your Uncle Hades.” He smiles at me, looking like evil incarnate.
“Good to meet you,” I say, being polite out of habit. Also, I need to speak with his wife.
“Bolt is only visiting, and we’re in a bit of a hurry. He’s here to see Twelve.”
Twelve?
That’s her name now. Then I remember that Hades likes to call his wives by the number in which he married them. He’s one sick fuck! Hades’s eyes narrow, and I see his whole body bristle. “Why? What do you want with my wife?”
“I just need to talk to her for half a minute,” I say. “Please,” I push out.
“I don’t think so,” Hades says with a sneer.
“Dad, please don’t be unreasonable. Bolt—”
“Sweetheart,” I hear a voice from inside the house, “Babycakes, who is it? Do we have guests?” Then she’s there. The object of my hatred. My fascination. My anger. Of all my swirling emotions. Her eyes widen as they land on me. “Why, hello, handsome. How are you?”
I’m shocked at how vibrant she looks. Her hair is lustrous and flowing. It has a silky sheen. Her coloring is better. Her skin looks like porcelain. She’s filled out as well, with more curves than she had before. She’s glowing. Absolutely glowing. She sends me a smile that’s pure lust. “Being married to Hades has been good for me.” She clutches his arm.
Hades growls at me. His eyes glow a bright red. “Stop that, baby,” she gives him a light slap on the arm, “it’s not very polite. Death, dear, how are you?”
Death smiles. “Good thanks, Twelve. You’re looking in good spirits.”
“Any day with this hunk of deliciousness is a day well spent.” She looks up at Hades with love in her eyes.
“You ready to go?” I ask Death.
“That’s it!” he says. “We’re done?”
“We’re done.” I’m grinning like a madman. “It was good to see you, Gabby…Twelve…whatever your name is.”
“You too, handsome.” She winks at me, and Hades growls again.
“We’ll be out of your hair, then.” Death seems nervous all of a sudden. “Good to see you both.”
“Um…no. You can leave, Death,” Hades says to his son before turning to me, “but you’re staying indefinitely,” Hades adds, leveling his eyes on me. “You’re mortal and in my realm. Tartarus could do with another soul.”
I see it swirling in the depths of his eyes. Hades is jealous…of me. I see something else in their depths. A madness that I recognize only too well. This is fucked up. I have my answer, but I may never see Ash again. I rack my brain to try and find a way out of this.
33
Ashley
I’m sitting on the edge of the seat. Just sitting, staring. I’ve already bitten my nails to the quick, so there’s nothing else to do but sit and stare. Oh, and to panic internally. There’s plenty of that. The rain has stopped. The sky is covered in thick, black clouds that threaten to spill over again. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. The weather, that is. Does it mean that Bolt is feeling better? Does it mean he’s gone for good? I bite back a sob.
“Are you sure I can’t get you some dinner?” Shannon asks me for the third time.
“Thanks, but my stomach is… It’s clenched too tight to even think about eating. I can’t believe he did something so stupid,” I say for the hundredth time.
“I tried to talk him out of it,” Night says.
“Not hard enough.” Shannon bites her thumbnail.
“Babe, it was—”
“Don’t you ‘babe’ me.” She wags a finger at him. “Bolt could be gone for good. Your father is evil. He’s—”
Night puts his arms around his wife. “Bolt is strong. He’s a shrewd negotiator. Death knows my father through and through. They’ll figure something out.”
“I’m worried,” Shannon says. I like her; she’s such a sweet lady. She cares so much for Bolt, and she’s been so kind to me. She was the one who insisted that Night call me to tell me what was going on.
“I’m worried too,” I say. “I know you said that time works differently for mortals in the Underworld, but this is taking really long.” I wipe a tear off my cheek.
“It won’t be much longer. If there’s a problem, my brother, Death will come and let us know. No news is good news.”
His brother…Death?
I don’t ask.
“I—” Shannon starts saying.
Night jumps up. He sniffs the air. “Ozone,” he says. Then they appear…out of nowhere. Bolt and a dark-haired guy who looks very much like Night. Bolt falls onto the floor. He groans but just lies there.
I run over to him. I’m saying his name. He doesn’t look hurt. I hope he isn’t hurt.
“Ash,” he whispers as his eyes open. It still takes about half a minute before he manages to get to his feet.
“What were you thinking?” I shout at him. I give him a light slap on the arm. I want to punch him in the face and kick him in the shin…not really, I was just that worried. “Are you crazy?” I want to smack him again, but I refrain. Only just!
“I think this is our cue to leave,” Night says. I notice he’s grinning. He’s probably relieved.
My chest is heaving. I only have eyes for him. For Bolt. “You could have died.”
“Not really died,” he says. “I would’ve had my body with me, so technically—”
“Semantics, Bolt. What were you thinking? Night called me earlier to tell me about this harebrained scheme of yours. I couldn’t believe it. I—” I burst into tears and throw myself into his arms. “You could have died…gotten stuck over there…whatever…” I nearly lost him.
He wraps me up in his arms and holds me. I can feel his heart against my face. It’s beating fast. “I had to go,” he finally says.
We pull apart, and I wipe my face. “You shouldn’t have.”
“I had to, and I’m happy to see how much you care,” he says, using his thumb to wipe away a tear.
“Of course, I care. I care so much…” I shake my head. “What happened over there?”
“I saw her.” He’s smiling. It’s a big smile. “I saw the harpy.”
My heart is beating wildly. “Night filled me in on your reasons for going. Was she everything you remembered her to be?” I’m so jealous I can barely breathe.
He shakes his head. “No, she was actually more beautiful than I remembered.”
“What?” I breathe in and out. “I mean, okay, um…”
Bolt chuckles.
“And this is funny…why?”
“I felt absolutely nothing for her, Ash. Not one grain of anything. She is more beautiful. The Underworld seems to agree with her. Being married to Hades has—”
“Wait…she’s married?”
He nods. “Yes. More importantly, I felt nothing. All it took was one look in her eyes. It’s eerie how the two of you could almost be twins. There are a couple of notable differences, however…”
“I’m listening,” I say.
“Firstly, and most importantly…your eyes. It’s the first thing I noticed when you walked into my office. I remember thinking how, although they’re the same color and a similar shape the harpy’s, they were nothing like hers. They also happen to be the part I love about you the most. I feel my heart beat faster when I look into them.” He shrugs. “I know this sounds corny, and I don’t expect you to believe me, but that’s what happened. I felt nothing when I looked into her eyes. Nothing in here.” He touches his chest. “That’s how I know. I just do. I happen to love you very much. You, Ashley Shaw. I love everything about you. Not just your eyes, and not just the way you look, even though you look fucking spectacular. I love how clumsy you are. I love your pottymouth when you come. I love your fondness for high heels, even though you can’t walk in them for shit. I love how much you enjoy food…all kinds of food.” He smiles. “I love how much you adore your family. How much you care, how kind you are. I love
how you tell the truth, even when it’s to your disadvantage. How you’ve taught me to be a better man. I was afraid. I’m not afraid anymore. I want you. I want us.”
I’m crying again. “You love my eyes?”
“From the moment I saw them.” He makes a face. “Your tits are a close second.”
I laugh and smack him on the arm again. “You know, my dad always said that’s how he knew when he met my mom. He said it was her eyes. That she had the most amazing eyes.” I cry harder. “That his heart would beat faster when he looked into them, and that’s how he knew.”
“It’s a story we could tell our kids one day.”
“Better than the fat duck.” I wipe my eyes, but more tears come.
“If you’re happy, you should stop crying now.”
“I can’t believe you risked the Underworld…for me.”
“Believe it.” He looks at me with such sincerity I feel my heart squeeze.
“I love you, too, by the way.”
“I know, and I’m so grateful.” He pulls me into his arms, and we kiss. He holds me like there’s no tomorrow. He holds me close. We fit together. It’s magical. Then we’re moving apart. “Don’t pull something like that again.” I give him a warning look.
“Don’t leave me again.” He gives me a warning look right back.
“I won’t. I promise.”
He brushes another kiss on my mouth. “What do you say we get out of here? We have some catching up to do.”
“Sounds good.” My stomach grumbles.
Bolt laughs. “We’ll stop for food on the way. We’ll drive…no walking, and I’m hiring security guards.”
“That’s not necessary…” I shake my head. We start to walk.
“We can argue about this after you’re fed and well sated…in all ways.” He looks at me pointedly.
I laugh. “I look forward to it.”
“Which part?”
“All of it.” We go into the living room. Bolt has his arm around my shoulders.
“Oh, look,” Night says, smiling. “I’m glad to see the two of you have made up. We’ve saved the town from floods.” He and Death high five one another.
“Yeah, right,” Bolt says, standing taller. “It was my idea. The two of you tried to talk me out of it.”
I notice that the sun is shining through the blinds. Seeing it makes me smile.
“Don’t ever leave him, Ashley,” Night says jokingly.
I laugh.
“Before we get out of your hair…” Bolt holds up a hand. He swallows thickly. “Thank you,” he says to the dark-haired guy. “You’re a good friend, Death.”
I need to ask about him.
“Congrats!” he tells Night. “You have a new stepmother.”
“You’re kidding me.” Night puts both his hands on his head. “You don’t mean…?” His eyes are wide. “Why didn’t you say anything?” he asks Death. “Nice brother, you are.”
Night finally takes his hands off his head. He looks shell-shocked. “So, the harpy is number twelve. My father did not need another wife.” He looks baffled.
I frown. “You don’t mean that your father has twelve wives?” My eyes feel huge in my head.
“He does,” Shannon says. “He’s such a pig.” She rolls her eyes.
“Death won’t tell me how the two of you made it out of there.” Night is looking at Bolt. “All he said was that Hades wasn’t keen on letting you go, but that you had help.”
“Actually,” Bolt says, pulling me against him. “Believe it or not, it was the harpy.”
“That bitch?” Night says.
“She’s not actually that bad,” Death says. “And before you say anything about it, no, she doesn’t have me in her power. I haven’t been anywhere near her. All I can say is that they’re a couple made in heaven. She siphons power from dear Dad daily. Hades has an endless well of the stuff…and she keeps him happy in other ways.”
“She’s poisoning him,” Bolt says. “And it looks like he’s loving it.”
“I’m pretty sure she’s sticking her barb into him on the regular, because she has him wrapped around her finger,” Death says. “I don’t think it’s as bad for him as it would be for a mortal, but he’s affected alright. I must say, he’s been more relaxed…nicer about things. He’s more uptight about others. Namely, where Twelve is and what she’s doing. He seems a little…” He seems to mull over what the right word would be.
“Obsessed,” Bolt fills in for Death.
“Poor schmuck. I almost feel sorry for him.” Night chuckles. “I would if he wasn’t such a bastard.” He frowns. “So, the harpy asked nicely, and Hades let the two of you go?”
Bolt chuckles. “Not quite. She had to offer him sexual favors. They were still negotiating the terms when we left.”
“I was not going to hang around and give our father time to reconsider.”
“She was actually quite nice to help me,” Bolt says.
“Nice!” I raise my brows. “She messed you up,” I remind him, but I realize that I don’t feel any kind of jealousy.
“That’s true,” Bolt says. “I’m just glad to be back…with you.”
“I’m out,” Death says. He disappears before I can thank him. He seems like a nice guy. A little lost but nice.
“What do you say we head home?” Bolt asks me. He has this goofy smile on his face.
“I think that sounds really good.” I smile back.
34
One month later…
Bolt
I pull her hands above her head and hold them in one hand. I keep thrusting into her welcoming flesh. I will never get enough of this woman.
“We’re going to be late,” she pushes out between pants. “We’re going to be…very…um…late.” She groans as I pick up the pace. “Oh, god…oh…that’s good… You need to make me come. That woman scares me… Oh! She… Oh, god… She scares…”
“You want to…come now?” I grunt hard. “Is that an order, Miss Shaw?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?” I grunt.
“Sir! Yes…oh!”
I smile down at her and hold her hands a little tighter. Using my free hand, I push the remote on the pillow. I feel the vibration on my cock.
“Holy fuck!” I groan.
Her eyes have gone wide. Her mouth is open. “No!” she shouts. “Oh, god…no!” She groans long and deep. “Too much! Too much! Too…” She groans again.
“Lowest setting,” I grind out and keep fucking her. I’m grunting hard at this point. Those vibrations have my balls pulling tight.
“Shit! Oh, shit! Oh! Too much…no!”
“What’s your safeword?” I’m an evil fuck.
She can’t talk. Ash is making incoherent noises at this point. Loud, incoherent noises.
“Oh yeah, you didn’t,” I grunt, “sign that NDA.” I groan as I turn up the vibrations to the next level. “I don’t know your…safeword.” I’m not sure I get the last part out because… Holy shitake mushrooms!
She squeezes her eyes shut. “Oh…fuck! Oh!” she yells.
“Go with it, Ash! Go…” I grit my teeth as her pussy clamps so hard on my dick. It’s obscene how good it feels. My balls empty in one hard rush and all at once. I snarl. I see stars. I see lightning bolts. I see the inside of my skull because I think my eyes roll back in my head for a moment or two.
Ash screams, her back bows. Her hands claw the covers. Her eyes are wide. Tears are streaming down her face. I keep working her until she’s ready to come down. Only then do I switch the vibrations off. I’m chuckling through my gasps as I try to catch my breath.
I keep moving slowly until she finally slumps back, her whole body slack. Ash licks her lips. Her chest is heaving. Her eyes are closed. Her lids look heavy. It takes her several minutes before she can form a sentence. “I can’t…believe…um…that you talked me into that,” she mumbles, her eyes still closed. “Especially today, of all days.”
I laugh, my voice is deep.
I might have strained my vocal cords. “The plug still has three more settings.” I bob my brows.
She opens her eyes. There’s a look of panic in them.
I laugh. “Also, it’s only halfway in.”
“I can’t believe you bought me a vibrating butt plug ten days into our relationship.” She bursts out laughing. “When I joked about you buying me something filthy, I didn’t think it would be this…” She just shakes her head and closes her eyes again.
“I can’t believe it took me this long to talk you into using it.” I kiss her on the side of her mouth.
“It’s…it’s…seriously wrong. Such a naughty…rude…toy. That’s why it…took so long, because…”
“Just admit that you loved it already.” I grin.
Her eyes get this look. It’s both naughty and defiant. “As much as I enjoy straight up…regular sex with you…”
“Vanilla.” I wink at her.
She nods her head and rolls her eyes. “I love vanilla, but that was…that was…” She wipes what’s left of her tears off her face. “I nearly passed out it was so good.”
“Told you so. We’re doing it again…later.” I kiss her gorgeous mouth. “I love you so much.” I then make a show of looking at my watch.
Her eyes widen. “We’re late. Oh, my gosh…we’re late. You made us late.”
“I’m not sorry. I would totally do it again.” It took longer than expected to get the toy in. We laughed a whole lot. Now we’re going to be late. I feel bad. “We’d better hurry. If we leave right now, we’ll be just on time.” I pull out of her.
“Leave now…” she groans, “that means we’re definitely going to be late. Shit!” She jumps up. We run around like mad things and are ready in fifteen minutes. Thankfully we don’t have to dress up for this. In fact, old clothing was recommended. Then we’re out the door. “The Bugatti!” I yell when the elevator doors open to my parking garage. I have a whole floor to myself since I have a whole fleet of cars.
It doesn’t take long, and we’re pulling up to Buns and Breads. “Oh, my gosh!” Ash’s hands are on her red cheeks. “There are so many people,” she gushes. “Family, friends, and even clients of ours.”
Lord of Rain (The Dragon Demigods Book 5) Page 27