by T. G. Ayer
"So what was it you were bringing m—him?" Julian stumbled on the words, wanting to eke out a bit more information before he confirmed his identity.
"His damned Seals. Now look at the mess those damned things have gotten me into." She waved her hand at the Seals, which lay quiet and innocent in each corner of the octagonal table. She looked down at her arm and her lips quivered.
Julian feared she would cry, and having no idea what he would do with a crying woman, he said quickly, "Who are you?"
"My name is Evangeline. I work for…someone who wants the Seals for himself. I thought it was better to bring them here rather than let an evil man take possession of them. I think they are powerful." She looked up at Julian and swung her feet around to jump off the table. "Can you help me find him?"
She swayed on her feet and then winced as she caught the edge of the table with her tattooed arm. Julian understood her pain. Remembered the agony from when he'd first received the marks. And admired her strength. For a girl, she endured the burning quite courageously.
"So, can you take me to him? Hades?" She stood almost as tall as Julian, and waited for his answer.
"Er, that's easier than you may think."
"Why is that?"
"Because, my dear, you are Hades."
"Are you insane?" Evie stared at him, unable to accept his words. He must be a bit soft in the head, albeit super hot. Maybe lack of sunshine's been affecting his brain cells?
"Not really. In fact, I believe I am quite sane." His smile was calm, almost serene. Too serene.
"Certainly does not seem that way to me. Now can you find this Hades dude and tell him I need to speak to him?"
"I told you who Hades was, but since you won't believe me, maybe you can explain how you came to be in possession of the Seals? They were supposed to be hidden away a thousand years ago." He didn't move, just folded his arms and waited for her to respond.
Evie narrowed her eyes. He was all sexy, hard strength that called wildly to something deep inside her. Honey blond hair with pale streaks so incongruous on someone who lived in the dark holes of the earth.
Perhaps he was not from around here? Muscles where he needed them and none where he didn't. His biceps bulged beneath the soft silk of his sleeves. Strong chin, keen eyes, aristocratic Roman nose. Evie's pulse raced. She liked what she saw far too much.
"How come you know so much about where Hades hid the Seals?"
"Because he told me himself," he answered, the smile disappearing from his lips, the hard lines on his face making him appear much older.
"So where is he?"
"I'm afraid I have no idea. He said he needed time to think. But he has been gone for two millennia. And I haven't even received a postcard." A hint of sadness touched his eyes as he spoke. Perhaps he was a friend of Hades? This whole idea was preposterous. Hades gone for two thousand years?
"So who's been looking after the place since he's been gone?" Evie stared him down, daring him to hold back. She had questions he would not be able to avoid.
He sighed then. "I have."
"Huh? You?" Evie swallowed hard.
"Yes. That's what I have been trying to tell you. I was the last Ruler of the Underworld. Chosen by Hades."
"What do you mean the last ruler?" Evie felt like she was one of those dumb, vacuous girls who only ever thought about guys and the size of their boobs.
"You are the new Ruler. That"—he pointed at the table, now silent and still as if nothing strange had just happened—"what just happened…that made you the new Hades."
Evie, for once, was unable to find anything to say. She'd brought the Seals here to return them to Hades. The last thing she'd wanted was to be transformed into the new Ruler of the Underworld.
"No, no, no, no, no." She laughed, uncertain and a bit scared as she shook her head vehemently. He had to be kidding. "That's not possible. No. This is some kind of sick joke, right?"
"I don't joke. The Seals chose you and made you the next ruler. Which means I am now mortal." Evie did a double take.
Words expressed with an odd mixture of relief and fear.
"Mortal?" Evie recalled his words a few minutes before. "Right, Hades chose you, so you were mortal...two thousand years ago?"
"That is right. Well deduced. You have quite a scholarly mind, Evangeline."
"Yeah," she said.
Being around a thousand years will do that to a girl.
Chapter 20
The silence in the room was a stark and painful contrast to the humming ringing which had so recently pierced Evie's ears.
"Come, there is nothing left to do here." He had a hand to her back, gently guiding her out of the room. His palm seared her skin as heat sizzled through her, making her knees weak. Evie swallowed hard, trying to tamp down her traitorous heartbeat.
She really needed to keep her mind on her current catastrophe. Evie looked back at the Seals sunk so deep and solid into the stone she was fairly certain there was not much beyond total destruction that could remove them.
For now, they were safe.
Metal bit into her hands and she looked down to see the medallion in her palm. She must have grabbed it at some point, though she could not remember doing anything remotely as energetic as that. She slid it into her jacket pocket and blinked back tears.
Red hot sparks of panic threatened to erupt into full-blown hysteria. Not a common reaction for an Irin Warrior. Patrick would be proud. Evie breathed, then made a tight fist and tried to channel her hysteria.
Didn't work.
"No. You have to do something. Can't you change it?"
She looked at his hard profile as they walked, not slowing a single step. He walked with a lethal grace that made Evie's mouth suddenly dry. She shook her head. What was the matter with her?
She forced herself to pay attention to his words. "Not until twenty-eight days have passed."
"You mean I have a whole month to enjoy this?"
Evie thrust her arm out at Julian, almost punching him in the ribs. He avoided the blow and placed a hand on her arm, which she shrugged off far too quickly. And although she wanted to ignore it, she could not deny that it was the simmering heat where his flesh touched hers that set her on edge.
Off balance.
"Don't touch me. I don't even know who you are." He removed his hand and Evie suddenly felt bereft. She gritted her teeth. She really needed to get a hold of herself. She was going to be stuck here with him for a month after all.
Evie stiffened. Twenty-eight Hades days meant about three months of earth days. Too long. Who knew what havoc Marcellus would wreak in that time. But right now, there was nothing she could do about it.
"My name is Julian Tiberius," Julian said, giving her a low bow and bringing her attention back to him.
"Tiberius, like Emperor Tiberius?"
Julian shrugged. "Common enough name."
"Okay, Julian, so what am I supposed to do here for the next month?" She scanned the passage as they began to walk. "It's not as if you need a re-decorator. Pretty snazzy place for the Underworld."
She'd made a decision before he had spoken his first word. Somewhere between his first shocked look and their exit of the cursed room, Evie had decided not to reveal her true Immortal Nephilim nature. Whether it was instinct or survival, it seemed best to keep it under wraps for as long as possible. If she could go home without revealing that particular tidbit, she would be quite satisfied.
"I've been down here for a long time. One needs to live with a few comforts to make life worthwhile."
Julian guided Evie into another room, larger and airier than the previous one. A lot more comfortable too. The room was littered with sofas, tables and bookshelves filled to the brim with books of every age, shape, and size. A warmth and personality drew Evie into the room, whispering of comfort and relaxation and peace.
Evie looked around in silence, trying to understand the position Julian had been in. She sat on the nearest couch, not sure what to do
with her hands so she folded them in her lap. Her forearm still stung, but the pain no longer pierced her as deeply as before. She'd tugged her sleeve over it and now left it covered, still a bit afraid to see the black script which confirmed that all of this was not a dream.
"Haven't you been lonely?" Then Evie remembered Hades’ consort, feeling a cold stab of jealousy spike through her. Then she asked hopefully, "Hey, did Hades take Persephone with him on his travels?"
Evie twisted in her seat to watch Julian as he poured her a drink. The sight of the drink made her aware that her throat was parched, and her body was screaming for rest. The sight of his hands, fingers long and elegant, made her stomach twist uncomfortably.
"No. He left her here in my care. She hasn't been too happy about that." Julian spoke softly, eyes far away as if contemplating that relationship.
"I take it Persephone hasn't made you feel welcome?" Evie arched an eyebrow, trying to remain impartial.
"Oh, she's made me feel welcome." Julian smiled uncomfortably. "Perhaps a little too welcome."
"Mmhh, she got the hots for you?" Evie asked, smiling as twin spots of heat touched his cheeks. Then she chastised herself. What was wrong with her? How dare she be so familiar with the Ruler of the Underworld?
Julian continued, unaware of Evie's sudden discomfort. "Something like that. I guess she's lonely without him."
"You like her?" Somehow the thought of Julian in love with Persephone made Evie feel slightly ill.
"No. I believe that has been a problem for her." He gave a wry smile.
"Ooh, won't take no for answer?" When he shook his head, she said, "Where I come from that's call sexual harassment."
Julian laughed. "I know about your sexual harassment, and yes, it probably fits. But I do feel sorry for her. Being deserted by one's husband is probably not an easy thing to get used to. I have tried to help her. But I don't think I've done the right things."
"What's wrong with saying no?" Evie had to force herself to calm her rapid heartbeat.
What was the matter with her? She just couldn't keep her stupid mouth shut. She wanted to tear out Persephone's eyes for even looking at Julian. But this man-god was nobody to her.
"Maybe when you say it over and over again for two thousand years?" Julian smiled ruefully as he handed Evie a glass filled with a lemon drink, complete with muddled mint and a slice of lemon for garnish. Nice.
Their fingers touched, and her skin absorbed the virile heat of his as fire sparked and raced up her arm. She cleared her throat. "Well then, there you have it. She should have given up after about…oh…two hundred years?" Evie smiled as serenely as she could.
He sat across from her and asked, "There is something I need to know about the Seals. There were eight Seals hidden Earth-side. How did you find the ninth Seal?"
"I didn't find it." He stared at her, his brow furrowed in confusion. "I had it with me all along." Evie frowned. She felt the weight of the medallion in her pocket, but she didn't care so much about it now, in spite of it being a gift from Gabriel. That gift had turned out to be not so good, after all.
"Had it with you?" Julian stared at Evie, perplexed.
"My father gave it to my caregiver. He kept it for me until I came of age. I've had it with me for most of my life." Evie considered revealing to Julian how old she really was and immediately quashed the thought. Bad idea.
"Strange. It doesn't seem to be likely that the main Seal would be in the possession of a human."
"Are you saying I'm lying?" Evie was incensed, and yet it wasn't lost on her that she wasn't actually human, so she managed to calm down a little.
"No. No, I'm not. It's just that all the Seals should have been left in the care of a non-human."
"That I did find out." Evie nodded. "All the Seals were left in the care of demons."
"How did you end up with the Seals?"
Evie related the tale to Julian, leaving out any Nephilim-related information as well as not mentioning exactly who she worked for. What would she tell him if he asked? Evie decided to contend with that issue when the time came.
"That is an incredible story. And before you get upset, I do believe you."
Evie shut her mouth on the question she was about to ask him and smiled.
Just then the door swung open and a furiously beautiful woman entered the room.
Persephone.
"What is going on here?" Persephone fairly shook with fury.
Glowing blond ringlets fell to her waist. Topaz eyes glittered, and unblemished white cheeks glowed with violent anger. Evie stared at this fiery ball of fury and wondered if Julian knew what he was talking about. This could not be Persephone, beautiful daughter of Ceres, doomed to be the consort of Black Hades and live half her life in the Underworld as his Queen.
Persephone, also known as Goddess of Springtime. Yeah right! There was nothing in her demeanor that even implied she was the bringer of fresh clean rains, the one who raised the new crops from the land, and melted icy rivers.
The silence within the room hung like a nuclear cloud. Dangerous in more ways than one. Perhaps, it was dangerous to breathe? She had the air of a jealous and possessive wife, yet Julian's expression was bored at best.
"Evangeline and I are getting to know each other better." His words were innocuous enough, but Persephone didn't find them so. From the color of her face, Persephone felt he was betraying her by merely talking to someone else.
Possessive much?
"I can see that!" Topaz flashed and acid dripped. "Who is she?" Persephone flicked Evie a glance, gave her a fleeting once-over, then promptly dismissed her, not deigning to even meet her eyes. As if Evie were something to be scraped of her shoe.
"Oh, Evangeline? She is the new Ruler of the Underworld." Julian's cheek dimpled. He was enjoying needling his ex-consort. Enjoying it very much.
"What? Stop being stupid, Julian. I can't abide these jokes." She flicked her hand at him, ruby nails gleaming in the torchlight. Her cheeks remained rosy with frustration.
"Not a joke at all. I am being perfectly serious, Persephone. Evangeline had a bit of an accident and she is now the lady in charge." Julian sketched a bow and peeked at Persephone through thick lashes.
Persephone even managed to make the shocked expression on her face look elegant and beautiful. She sat heavily on the edge of the nearest chair, holding onto the stuffed arm as if she was being swept away by a strong tide.
Evie stared at the goddess. Her reaction was a bit over-dramatic, but technically Persephone was now Evie's consort, and Evie was the one in control of Persephone.
Evie shivered at the thought. Hopefully Persephone would not turn the affections she'd lavished upon Julian onto her now that she was the big cheese.
Ick.
When Evie looked at Persephone, she didn't see much chance of that at all. The woman was devastated. Beautifully devastated. Tears filled her blue eyes, glittering on her lashes like tiny little diamonds. For the briefest of seconds, those eyes flicked at Evie and the angel shivered. If the stories she learned about Persephone—her nature and her purpose were actually God's truth—then this ain't the same Persephone.
The Goddess of the Seasons was a seasoned manipulator.
"Julian. Oh, dear god, Julian." Grief marred her features, tightening the lines in her face. She looked pretty good for her age. What? Three millennia, maybe more?
Evie raised her eyebrows at the object of Persephone's keening. He shrugged, clearly as befuddled as Evie. "What's the matter now, Persephone? Don't you think you are being a bit overdramatic?"
She rose and went to him, holding his hands in hers. "Julian, you don't understand. This means you are now mortal. You will die!" Then Persephone began to cry great big, hiccupping sobs. Evie wriggled in her seat. Julian cringed in her grasp as she fell against him still sobbing. He pushed her away and held her at arms' length.
"Persephone, get a hold of yourself. I was mortal to begin with." He spoke quietly and with intense ca
lm. But Evie could tell from the strain at the corners of his eyes that he had realized what exactly Evie's change would mean for him.
Persephone's expression changed as she glanced back at Evie. "Well, who is she then? And how did she end up taking your place? How did she find all the Seals?" Persephone knew enough about the Seals to know how the transformation took place.
Evie shifted, uncomfortable as both Persephone and Julian regarded her. One stare cold and flinty, the other amused. Trust Julian to be amused at a time like this.
Evie caught herself short at the thought. What made her think she knew Julian at all? She certainly liked what she was looking at but that didn't mean anything. These people were strangers to her, and here she was lounging about while her friends still sat in the clutches of Marcellus. Those thoughts sobered Evie and she sat straight up.
When Julian didn't answer, Persephone glanced at him, venom flashing from her eyes. Some invisible battle waged between them, neither of them moving for a few moments. Evie held her breath and waited. At last the goddess took a step back, made a disgusted sound somewhere between a growl and a choke, turned on her heel, and left the room.
Evie watched the door as it shut behind the furious goddess. This is so wrong. Persephone is a bitch? Evie found she was actually upset at this newly discovered fact.
Chapter 21
Evie stared at the closed door, enjoying the almost awkward silence the goddess had left in her wake. Then she glanced at Julian and grinned. "Come, Julian, tell me more about you."
Julian smiled, awarding the closed door one glance of his own before taking a seat in a wide armchair. He picked up an overly large, well-worn book and seemed to fall straight into the text in a way that made Evie quite jealous.
"Come on," Evie urged. "I think it's pretty fascinating to be born at such an amazing time. So you have to tell me more. Otherwise, I might assume you are Caesar's son and that you knew Jesus personally." Evie smiled at Julian as he frowned at his book. But when he looked up, the pained expression on his regal face made her wonder if she'd been right.