Before I Fell

by Brandy Greeley

  Hades winged an eyebrow in question as we disappeared and reappeared in the middle of his living room.

  “She had both Prometheus and you competing for her affections. It’s not easy loving someone and knowing you’re meant to be with someone else.”

  “Emma, I-” He stopped, checking himself. “I’m sorry that I haven’t been as welcoming towards Sam as I could be. He’s who you chose to be with, and it’s wrong of me to interfere in that, despite my feelings on the matter.”

  I did a double-take, eyebrow quirked. “Wow, an actual apology. I’d take the time to bask in it a little more, but we need to find Persephone.”

  “No, you don’t.” She stepped out of the shadows and Hades rushed towards her, wrapping his arms around her.

  “Did he hurt you? Are you alright?”

  “I wasn’t kidnapped,” she said, twisting her hands together as she refused to meet my gaze.

  “I came to her with a proposition.” Prometheus strolled into sight, nodding once to Hades before smiling at me. “So, this is the lovely Emma everyone keeps talking about. Not disappointed, that’s for sure.” His gaze raked over me sensually and Hades let loose a low, guttural growl.

  “What do you want?”

  “Straight to the point. I like that about you, Hades. You don’t need to worry this time, though-I’m not here to curse her again.”

  Persephone flinched as he ran a hand through her hair and I clamped a hand down on Hades’ arm to stop him as he surged forward.

  “I want the deal the two of you initially made. Six months here and six with me in Portland.”

  “Why not Olympus? That’s where you’re from, isn’t it?” I asked, curious, as Hades pulled Persephone away from him.

  “And give up my sweet bachelor pad? Not a chance.”

  Hades shook his head. “What made you think we’d ever agree to that?”

  “There’s a rumor floating around that Kronos thinks he has your little pet here,” he said, gesturing to me. “I’d hate to have to prove him wrong, so, in exchange for my silence, Persephone comes to live with me in Portland for half of the year and with you the other half. After all,” he added, gaze flitting between Hades and me, “that’s what you want, isn’t it? More time alone together?” He addressed me directly as the two men stared at each other.

  “Should’ve known blackmail wasn’t beneath you. The deal you want to make is between yourself and Persephone, so asking me for my blessing was just a stab-me-in-the-back courtesy call,” Hades said as he reached out to embrace Persephone, who stepped away from him.

  “And I’m saying yes.” Her answer was soft-barely discernable-and I squeezed my eyes shut as a wave of guilt crashed over me. She was doing this because it meant saving me from Kronos again, but that wasn’t much of a bargain if she was going straight back to the bastard who cursed her in the first place. And if he hurt her in the process, I’d never forgive myself.

  “He won’t hurt her, Emma. He claims to love her,” Hades said softly, reading my thoughts.

  “You guys shouldn’t have to keep protecting me or doing things on my behalf that you don’t want to do.”

  “That’s what family does, so get used to it,” Persephone said, giving me a tight-lipped smile that I was too upset to return. She turned to Prometheus. “I’ll decide which months you get me, and if you go behind my back and betray those I love, Hades won’t have to kill you, because I’ll do it myself.”

  “I just want the chance to take us back to the way we were before you broke the curse and ended up here again, with him. Is that such a terrible thing? I know you were happy with me.”

  “With fake memories and a past that was entirely created by you. C’mon, Prom, you know I could never be with you the way I was before. Not with my memories restored. You might as well curse me again if that’s your goal.”

  “No,” he said, framing her face in his hands. “You were happy with me. Not as Persephone or the goddess of spring. Just you. You had a job that you loved and a life that was uniquely yours. I gave that to you, the chance to start over, discover who you really were, and until he came along and ruined everything, we had a good thing going, didn’t we?”

  She dropped her eyes to the floor, biting her lip. I could see the conflict there-the back and forth war of emotions raging through her-and wanted to punch Prometheus for it. It wasn’t fair to put that kind of pressure on her, especially in front of people who were directly impacted by the selfish decisions he made.

  “I’ll go with you, for Emma, but don’t expect anything from me. You’ll be sorely disappointed if you do.”

  “We’ll see,” Prometheus said, smiling. “Let me know when you’ve made a decision. In the meantime, enjoy,” he said, disappearing and Persephone sighed heavily, crossing to the bar.

  “Persephone-” Hades said but she held up a hand to cut him off.

  “No. I’m trying to do the right thing here, so please don’t judge me for it, or tell me that I can’t go, because, given the chance, you would do the same for me, too.”

  “I carry the weight of billions of souls daily, but at the end of it all, Persephone, the only two people I care about are you and Emma, because the two of you remind me of everything that’s beautiful and wonderful in this world, and I can’t lose either of you.”

  “You won’t, Hades. The Fates already freed me from Prometheus’ curse, and they wouldn’t let him do it to me a second time. When I’m with him, I’ll still be able to keep in contact with you guys, so calm down, alright? This isn’t a death sentence.”

  “I can’t stand the thought of you in someone else’s bed. Call me foolish or jealous if you want to, but at least you know my thoughts on the subject. I need to go do something else-anything other than think about this right now.”

  “He loves you,” I said as he walked away, periodically balling his hands into fists. “I never doubted it, but I think that’s the first time I’ve seen it since you broke the curse.”

  “He’s my uncle,” she said, topping off her wine glass as I moved forward, filling my own. “I know you know this already, but it’s worth saying out loud again. That’s why we have the same temperament-the same fighting spirit.”

  “Yeah, except that fighting with him is like fighting while you’re banging your head against a brick wall and walking backward,” I said bitterly, grabbing the whole wine bottle as I crashed to the couch cushions. “It’s infuriating and frustrating because you know he thinks he’s right every time, even when he’s not.”

  She sat next to me, staring into the flames of the fire as I did the same, watching as the light bounced off the walls and ceiling.

  “You didn’t have to agree to Prometheus’ terms, by the way. I would’ve found another way to stay off Kronos’ radar for good.”

  She winced, a movement I would’ve missed if I hadn’t been watching her so closely. “What if I told you that I didn’t just do it for you?”

  “I’d say that you’d better explain yourself-and quick-before I jump to the worst conclusion.”

  “He isn’t the same Hades I knew before the curse, Emma. He’s timid and unsure of what he wants or what he’s going to do next.”

  “He was always like that a little bit, remember? Sure, losing you hurt like hell and nearly drove him insane, but he learned to cope with it, same as he’s done with everything else in his life.”

  She shook her head sadly. “The spark between us is dimming. I see it now, and maybe it has been for a while now, but I was too blind to acknowledge it. I think he stays because he feels a sense of duty towards me. After all, he was the one who initially brought me down here, and I hated him for it for a long time. We aren’t even soulmates, you know,” she added, twirling the stem of her wine glass between her fingers as I sat up a little straighter, eyes wide. “We never had that instant connection that draws two halves together, and I don’t know who he is, but I’ve met mine several times. Hell, I’ve lived with him.”

  The embarrasse
d, slightly panicky feeling I felt as soon as she mentioned soulmates quickly dissipated as her words sank in.

  “Prometheus. Your soulmate is Prometheus?”

  “You sound insultingly surprised by that.”

  “No, it’s just-you and Hades seem so perfect for each other.”

  And Prometheus cursed you to be with you. That doesn’t scream ‘true love, fated to be together forever’.

  “We’re not. That’s the whole point. I don’t have enough darkness in me and he doesn’t have enough light. He wanted me because I was young, pretty and naïve, and could possibly give him access to my father and eternal companionship at the same time. But soulmates aren’t exact copies of each other, Emma. They’re mirrors. They’re supposed to show you what’s holding you back and how to change your life for the better, not echo you on every thought, word, and action. That just means that you’ve lived with them long enough to pick up on their habits, both good and bad.”

  “Does Prometheus know?”

  “That we’re soulmates? Goddess no. And I’m going to keep it that way for as long as I can because I don’t want him to have that kind of power over me yet.”

  “What would you do if, hypothetically speaking, of course, you ever met Hades’ soulmate?”

  I was straying into dangerous territory now, but I had to know, had to pick at that never-healed scab until it bled again and crossed every finger on the hope that she wouldn’t see what I was really asking her.

  “I’d throw my arms out wide and welcome her into the family.”

  “I’m being serious, Persephone.”

  “What makes you think I’m not?”

  Emma.

  The warning growl from Hades raised the hair on my arms as I tried my best to push him out. Of course, he’d be listening-when wasn’t he? Which means that he heard…

  “I don’t believe you, especially since you were so jealous when you found out that I was bound to Hades. As your friend and adopted sister, I know you, and your hair-trigger response to that situation is exactly how you’d react if you came face-to-face with Hades’ soulmate right now, admit it.”

  “I might feel a little miffed about it at first, but seeing as I’ve found mine, how could I judge either of them for finding each other? Soulmate connections are one of the most powerful things in either your world or mine. Keeping two people apart who should be together is cruel.”

  I almost told her-almost threw caution to the wind and admitted that it was me, that I was sorry it was me, and then deal with the consequences later.

  Just say it.

  This sneaking around with Hades behind her back was dishonest, disloyal and selfish. And she didn’t deserve that.

  “Emma.”

  I glanced up as Hades strolled into sight, hands tucked into the pockets of his black slacks. “Can I speak to you for a minute?”

  I stood, placing my glass on the coffee table as I followed him down the hall, through the dining room, and into the kitchen, feeling like I’d left my stomach back with Persephone.

  “Hades, I don’t really want to talk about-”

  “Out-everybody out,” he barked to the staff, who disappeared. He ran an agitated hand through his hair as I leaned against the counter, eyes to the ground. “You almost told her.”

  “Yes, and it would’ve been worth it. I know you were listening to every word we said, so I also know that you heard her say that Prometheus is her soulmate. Prometheus, Hades! Why does it matter if she knows the truth about us now?”

  “Because you have no idea what she’ll do to you if she knew the truth.”

  “No offense, Hades, but like I’ve been telling you since the moment she went there, she’s happier in Portland. Yeah, Prometheus isn’t the first person I would’ve chosen for her to be with eternally, but I’m also not trying to control her Fate, so for once in your immortal life, can you not be so noble? She’ll spend six months of every year with him to save me from ending up in the clutches of your crazy, power-hungry dad, and you’re acting like this is about you and what you want. Get mad about it-punch something, since I know that’s your style-but stop ignoring this opportunity. I was worried about upsetting her in the beginning, but this changes things, and if you don’t see that, you’re freaking blind. I’m not scared of Persephone, and I don’t want to keep hiding how I feel about you. You shouldn’t have to eith-”

  He crushed his lips to mine with bruising intensity, hands roaming up and down my back as he hoisted my legs around his waist, setting me on top of the chopping block, bowls and utensils clattering to the floor. He hooked his fingers through the belt loops of my pants, sliding me to him through flour and chives and I tugged him closer but not close enough as he bit down on my flesh, keeping me pinned, tongue licking at the spot lazily, territorially. Heat pooled low in my belly and he smiled in response, reaching up to frame my face in one hand before kissing me once, twice and a third time.

  I wanted him right here, right now, kitchen staff proximity be damned, and he knew this too even as he released me, bending to pick up cooking implements and placing them back on the counter.

  “We have to tell her, Hades,” I whispered. “She’ll understand. I know she will and then afterward, we can be-”

  He pressed a finger to my lips. “Not yet.”

  “You’re overthinking this again.”

  “Emma,” he said, playing with the strings on my peasant shirt. “The only reason she broke the curse in the first place was because I pushed her into it. You were right when you said that I wanted her here so badly that I was willing to overlook her happiness in Portland. It’s because of me that she had to take the soul of her best friend, and I know that in her heart, she’ll never fully recover from that loss.”

  “You’re afraid that if she knew I was your soulmate from the moment I first stepped foot here she’d, what? Retaliate? That doesn’t seem like her style at all.”

  He chucked my chin. “You’ve seen the soft and cuddly side of her, but never forget who she is and where she comes from.”

  I snorted, still trying to picture Persephone as this angry hell-beast as I trailed a couple of fingers through a bowl of brownie mixture before licking the batter off, taking my time. I glanced up in time to see Hades watching, a hungry glint in his eyes, and grabbed a paper towel to clean my hands off. “I missed this. Not just the intimacy but being near you and not having to pretend.”

  “Me too.”

  “Hades, where’d you run off to-oh.” Persephone skid to a halt just inside the kitchen doorway, glancing between us and the mess on the floor, snapping her fingers as the staff appeared again. “Clean this up,” she said as she marched over to us. “Can’t find decent help nowadays, I swear. Horace and Jasper are waiting for you at the docks. They said something about two passenger trains colliding in Madrid, but they didn’t stick around to discuss it further.”

  Hades sighed. “Duty calls. We’ll continue our discussion later,” he said to me, kissing the top of Persephone’s head as he left, and I edged away from her, brushing at my backside.

  “I wish he’d let me help him again.”

  “This level of soul influx would for sure overwhelm you. Trust me. Train crashes tend to be messy and confusing, and not every soul wants to go politely,” she said, following me out.

  “I suppose there’s always the workload at home to keep me busy. Speaking of which, I should get back.” I smiled at her, then paused. “Will you be here when I return?”

  She shrugged. “I haven’t decided which months I want just yet. It’s almost fall, and that means that my floral skills won’t be needed for much longer before winter hits.”

  “Again, I’m so sorry that you have to do this at all.”

  “Stop apologizing, Emma, please. I love Portland, and all things considered, being with Prometheus again will be interesting. See you later. By the way,” she said as I turned towards her again. “You’ve got a hickey on your throat. Just thought I’d tell you before someon
e else notices,” she said, a wry, knowing grin lighting her face and I fervently hoped she wouldn’t ask any follow-up questions.

  It was a nervous walk of part-shame as I walked away, glancing back one last time to see her staring into the kitchen, an indescribable look passing over her face.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Portland, eight months later

  “Did you send Mrs. Jenkins to the docks?”

  “Yes.”

  “What about Mr. Hyde, Mr. Foster, Miss Larkin, and Mrs. Beneita?”

  I glared at Hades over the rim of my coffee cup. “I didn’t invite you here to rehash my morning schedule.”

  He waited, stylus poised over the iPad.

  “Yes, all one hundred percent where they should be. Don’t the names change color when they’ve been sorted?”

  “Ordinarily, yes, but seeing as you’re assisting me again-”

  “Conditional on me staying away from your entire family and allowing you to scan my lists each night like a crazy person-”

  “We’re doing things old school.”

  I flattened a hand to the tabletop, looking at him incredulously. “I’m not going to accidentally create another Fury, if that’s why you’re keeping such close tabs on me,” I said as he quirked an eyebrow. “Okay, not intentionally. I know what I’m doing now, for the most part.”

  “Emma,” he said, placing the device aside as he stood. “It’s been three months since Sam left-”

  “And two since Persephone ran off with Prometheus,” I interjected. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to distract me the same way I did for you those first few weeks after she was cursed. But I don’t need to be babied, okay? Sam made his choice and, in the end, decided that he’d rather not have a girlfriend who disappeared off the face of the planet every couple of months. It hurts, but it’s not like I can blame him. What’s your excuse?”