by Jamie Begley
Destiny felt a surge of admiration for the woman who refused to see herself as a victim. It was a quality that she admired the most about human women. The pain of her rape hadn’t broken her spirit, instead giving her strength to overcome her fears and the tragedy of losing her family. No, Abby wasn’t a victim. She was a victor.
She didn’t miss the look between the man and woman. She was sending him a silent message that Destiny had no problem interpreting. She was laying her heart out for Adam to see, telling him she was ready to move on and she wanted him to take part of it with her.
When Abby saw that Adam had received her silent message, she went back behind the counter, asking Zandra to help her get something out of the storeroom.
Destiny smirked. “She told you.”
“Yes, she did.” Adam knew when he was beat. “Rhys and Balder can sort through the weapons and make a pile of the ones we can use to teach them how to defend themselves.”
When the men left, Rocque prevented Adam from going with them. “My wolves and I will go out tonight, scouting for the areas where you can find food. We can move faster and save you and your men time from fruitless searches.”
“I won’t turn down your help. Thanks.”
Destiny was surprised at Rocque’s offer. The only reason that he had remained at the clubhouse was because her and Fate had been working together, trying to find Zeus in the different dimensions. She had promised to return each time, and for Mother’s sake, he had agreed.
She could tell he and his wolves were getting restless in their human forms and were ready to return home.
After they ate the sparse meal that the immortals didn’t eat to save the human’s rationing, she went to the bedroom that Adam had given to them. She wouldn’t admit it, but she was ready to leave also. She wasn’t finding it any easier to stay in the close confines of the clubhouse than Rocque did. She was used to being alone, doing her duty to Mother alone. To find herself with Rocque as a constant companion at night was beginning to wear on her nerves. Every movement he made was carried with the sensual beauty of a predator.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, she braided her long hair to keep her eyes from straying to him. Looking through her lashes, she saw him remove his jeans and T-shirt as he prepared for bed.
“Did you say something?” Rocque asked as he placed a knee on the mattress.
“No,” she choked out.
“I thought you said something.” Lying down, he bunched a pillow under his head.
“No, I didn’t say anything. When are you leaving?”
Rocque gave a yawn. “In a few hours, if you blow that candle out and let me go to sleep.”
Destiny finished braiding her hair then blew out the candle.
“I want to go with you. It will be faster—”
“No. I want you to stay here until I come back.”
“Why?”
“My wolves and I need to run.”
Hurt washed over her that he didn’t want her tagging along. “Fine.” She rolled to her side, giving him her back.
“Destiny …”
“Go to sleep,” she snapped.
She heard a sigh of frustration, but Rocque didn’t say anything else. She realized he had already fallen asleep. The man could fall asleep at the speed of light. She lay stiff in the dark, counting the minutes, then the hours before he awoke.
When she felt the movement of the mattress, she knew he had woken and was getting dressed. Destiny pretended to be asleep, hearing the creaking of the door when it opened.
“Stay safe, woman. I want you here when I return. When I come back, I want to show you my favorite spot.”
Her pretense of sleep vanished. “I have no desire to see anything you want to show me.”
“Too bad. Get your sleep; you’re going to need it.”
The door slammed shut before she could reply.
Bunching a pillow under her head, she fumed at his arrogance.
Breathing deeply, she inhaled the scent that lingered on the pillow. In her anger, she hadn’t grabbed her pillow but the one Rocque had used. Burrowing her cheek against it, she breathed in his musky scent.
“Be safe, my love.” The whisper filled the room.
Closing her eyes, she imagined herself running with him and his pack in the form of a wolf, doing what she couldn’t do in real life. Dozing off, her imagination turned into a dream of making love to him. Tossing fitfully on the bed, she awoke the next morning just as tired as when she had fallen asleep.
Rising, she saw herself in the mirror over the dresser. She looked just as young and beautiful as she had over centuries, only her eyes reflected the weariness within her soul. Her soul was tired of the responsibilities of mankind’s fate. Now adding the burdens of the fates of the gods, goddesses, and the immortals, she was doubting her ability to find Zeus.
How was he escaping her, Fate’s, and Mother’s notice?
She felt as if she were failing them.
Seeing no answer in her reflection, she left her room, finding Fate waiting for her, looking just as tired.
“You ready?”
Fate nodded. “Any ideas where we should search today?”
“No. You?”
“Let’s just pick a door. We can’t get worse luck than we’re having now.”
Destiny stopped, waving her hand when Fate’s words had her thinking out aloud.
“Is it bad luck? Or deliberate? He has the power to change his appearance; could we have seen him and not known?”
“No, we would recognize his soul. We’re not one of the goddesses who can pretend he’s someone else.”
“But would we? What if someone put a spell on him, camouflaging him?”
The women took a seat at a nearby table, upset with themselves that they hadn’t thought of it before.
“So much time has been wasted.” Destiny thought of how many doorways and dimensions they had searched in vain. He could have been right in front of them, a spell concealing him.
“Not necessarily. We know that Morgana is in Hades and won’t have the ability to accomplish hiding him. We had our suspicions that Merlin was involved with Morgana, so Odin was watching him before Zeus’ disappearance. That was how Mother’s attack was prevented. Odin placed extra guards on her.”
“Who’s left?”
“Loki and Jinx. We’ll have to go to Mother to ask permission to speak to Loki.” Fate stood up. “You coming?”
“No, you don’t need me to speak to Mother. Let me know when you get permission, and I’ll go with you.”
“You don’t want to leave him, do you?”
“If I go with you, Rocque will believe I’m breaking my vow. He’ll be back tonight. Hopefully, Mother will give you permission and we can go see Loki and Jinx tomorrow.”
“Sister … we don’t have time to lose. You should come with me before it’s too … late,” Fate tried to give a hint of warning.
“It’s already too late. I thought I was as strong as you.” She shook her head sadly. “I’m weak. I love him. I can’t find comfort in another man’s arms when he’s the one I want.”
At Fate’s troubled expression, Destiny gave a bittersweet laugh. “If anyone can beat destiny at my own game, I can.”
“I’ve told myself that numerous times.”
“Does it work?”
“No.” Fate brushed a kiss on her cheek. “Good luck. And enjoy your night.”
Destiny hugged her sister. “You always could outrun me.”
“It hasn’t been your fate you’ve been running from. It’s been yourself. I haven’t been any braver than you. Perhaps it’s time for us both to quit running.”
Destiny gave a half-smile. “I don’t know how wise it is, but I agree.”
Releasing her, Fate left.
Destiny decided to go back to her room and rest until Rocque returned. However, as she passed Adam’s room, the door swung opened and she came face-to-face with Abby. Looking through the open door, she saw Adam s
leeping naked on his bed.
Abby blushed scarlet, quietly closing the door.
“Have fun?”
Abby’s blush intensified. “I wanted to be back in my room before Zandra wakes.”
Destiny moved aside, motioning her forward. “Don’t let me stop you. We don’t want to confuse an impressionable young girl.”
Abby started down the hallway as if she were on fire, but stopped before entering her and Zandra’s room. “Destiny?”
“Yes.” She went to stand in front of her door across the hall from Abby’s.
“Can I ask you for a favor?”
Destiny’s face became detached. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean I will be able to do it for you.”
Abby bit her lip. “Could you mention to Broni to ask Rhys to keep an eye on Adam when they go scouting?”
Destiny’s face cleared. “Of course, but you’re close to Broni; why not ask her yourself?”
“I don’t want Broni to tell Rhys I asked. He may tell Adam, who would be furious at me.”
“I’ll talk to Broni when she wakes.”
“Thank you.” Abby turned her doorknob, going inside.
Destiny stared at the closed door, falling backward across her own door. Images had flashed through her mind of Abby’s future.
Putting her hand to her mouth, she bit down on her knuckles to prevent herself from making a sound. Searching for her own doorknob, she blindly opened her door then lunged inside, managing to close the door behind her before falling on the bed.
Some women had all the luck where men were concerned, and then there were women like Abby who had no luck at all.
Chapter 28
“Good morning, Maxi.” Zerina paused on her way from swimming to see the progress he had made since she had past him to go for her swim. Unfortunately for him, it was the same. Since being in Hades, he was still digging in the same spot. She had asked Hades repeatedly since they had become lovers why he didn’t stop him.
“He’s been digging for centuries; why not give him another punishment?”
Hades had shrugged. “I will when he stops digging.”
“You’re not forcing him to?”
“No. Maxi is a victim of his own stubbornness.”
Staring down at the man, she wished some words from her would convince him to stop, but she knew there weren’t. Zerina would have been driven mad from the simple chore, yet the man’s eyes weren’t insane. They were keen and perceptive.
“He’s using you.”
Zerina tensed when he stopped digging to pin her in place with his perceptive gaze.
“Hades doesn’t care about you any more than the other women who traipse by me to swim in the same pool you do. Doesn’t it bother you that you are swimming in the same pool as them?”
She wanted to leave, affronted by his blunt comment.
“Yes, it bothers me, but not as much as knowing that he shares his bed with them.”
“At least you’re honest. I felt sorry for you. Now I see I don’t have to.”
“You felt sorry for me?”
“Yes, you’re the only one of his women who talks to me. Why?”
“I felt sorry for you.”
“For me? Why? You know what I did to deserve to be here.”
“Yes, but it’s still hard to watch you doing the same task every day. How do you keep yourself sane?”
“By reminding myself that I deserve to be here. Every man, woman, and child who lost their life because of me lost the ability to live their full life. Even if each of them lived a hundred years, I still haven’t fulfilled the time I stole away from them.”
“You feel regret?”
“At the time, I didn’t. It took at least two centuries for me to realize what I had stolen from them. I was a ruler with great power. I used it to torture and kill them to earn my people’s respect. Hades earned his respect by being what I should have been—a strong leader.”
“Do the souls not fear him?”
“They fear his punishments, not him.”
“What’s the difference?”
“We make our own punishments that were forged in our lifetime. Hades didn’t just pick us out and decide to carry us down here. We’re here of our own doing. We may pretend our deeds weren’t evil, but there’s no arguing with the facts when Hades can show us the crimes we committed.”
“There’s no denying that the steps we take in life lead us down a road that ends with Mother’s reward or Hades’ justice.”
“That may be true about me and the rest of the souls down here, but you being here wasn’t by your own doing.”
“Wasn’t it? I knew when Cara asked my permission to escort a soul to her afterlife that I was disobeying my mother. I did it anyway. There’s a saying about the road to Hell being paved with good intentions.”
“At least you have that excuse. I did not.”
She started to lay a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. However, seeing what she was about to do, Maxi shrugged away from her touch.
“Don’t pity me. Are you in love with Hades?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Then save your pity for yourself. You’re going to need it, not I.”
Wounded at his caustic gaze, she turned, leaving him alone to his interminable chore.
Opening the door into Hades’ castle, she stared at her feet as she started past Hades’ office. Tartarus opened the door, thinking she wanted to go inside. She usually left Hades alone during the mornings. However, deciding to see if she could talk him into a game of chess, she went inside to see him staring out the window behind his desk.
Slipping her arms around his waist, she felt him give a start of surprise.
“No one has ever been able to accomplish that feat.”
She laid her cheek against his suit-covered back, clasping her hands around his lean waist. “I surprised you?”
“Yes.”
“That must mean you trust me.”
“Or I’m getting old.”
“You, old?” She tightened her arms around him. “I don’t think so.”
“What do I owe the pleasure of your company? You never seek me out in my office.”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’m reassuring myself that I’m not being a fool like Maxi said I am.”
“He said that?”
“Practically. Don’t be angry with him. He didn’t say anything that I haven’t said to myself. He asked if I was in love with you.”
He turned around to face her, bringing his arms around her. “What did you say?” Hades’ eyes bore into hers as Maxi’s had.
“Nothing I haven’t said before. You may not be an easy man to love, but I love you.”
“I am not a man.”
“Yes, you are. You’re part god, monster, demon, saint, and lover. But above all of those, you are a man.”
“If I am, it is the smallest part of me.”
Zerina covered his lips with her fingertips. “It is definitely the best part of you. It’s your only weakness.” She grinned at him impishly.
Hades grinned back. “Why is that?” He lifted her until her breasts were plastered against his chest.
Zerina rolled her eyes. “I think that is pretty self-explanatory.”
“You think so?”
Zerina felt a dizzying rush. Closing her eyes, she thought that Hades was transporting her to his bedroom, but when she felt her feet once again on firm ground, she stared around her in awe.
“It’s beautiful. I thought I had been everywhere in the universe.”
“Shambhala.”
“Shangri-La.”
“Among other names for it. I noticed you reading Lost Horizon.”
“Did you pay as much attention to the other women as you do me?”
“Yes.”
A stabbing pain not only struck her head, but her heart. She couldn’t hide the hurt he had inflicted in her mind, but she could prevent him from seeing it. Stepping away from him, she bent down to take her shoes off so she c
ould step on the tender blades of grass.
“Zerina … I didn’t mean it.”
“Yes, you did.”
The pleasure she had received from him bringing her here was swamped with feelings of wanting to flee. He had ruined the magical moment of her first experience in this kingdom, just as he had her first experience of making love.
She had never seen grass or trees so green. The mountains so tall that they disappeared into the clouds. It had a mystical appearance, yet the grass under her feet was real, and so was Hades as he came up behind her, turning her to face him.
He lifted a hand to brush away the tear that was coursing a path down her cheek. “I didn’t mean it.” He stared down at her. “It’s not easy for a god to admit he’s vulnerable.”
“It’s hard for a woman, too,” she said, giving him a painful smile.
“I’m not like the characters in your books or Valentine. I’m never going to give you roses or poetry, or give you hope that one day I will fall in love with you. Even when I married Persephone, I didn’t give her a wedding ceremony. I just spoke the words to bind us together.”
“Then your marriage was defeated before it began. Jinx told me that my father married both of my sisters while I was away.”
“Maybe so.” He shrugged. “But I doubt it. Most marriages don’t last long in the heavens or earth.”
“You are so jaded. How can you stand here and not realize that beauty exists not physically, but in the soul?” Zerina moved to a tree to wind her arm around the slim trunk that was still a sampling. Taking a deep breath, she let the fresh air fill her lungs. “Can’t you feel it?” she whispered reverently. “It’s so peaceful here. It has to be the most beautiful place I have ever seen or heard about on Heaven or earth.”
“Or is it just a figment of my imagination?”
“Why is it when I feel joy in something you have to crush it?”
He angrily pulled her away from the tree before bearing her down on the grass. She beat at his chest to make him move, but Hades just pinned her hands above her head.
