by S. E. Babin
My coffee cup crashed to the floor shattering the tension. Ichor dropped from the palm of my hand, and I hissed in pain as I held the injured part to my chest.
Warm hands immediately clasped me. Hades pulled my hand and examined the injury. His concerned silver gaze met mine. “Abby?”
I shook my head.
His nostrils flared in annoyance but he nodded once. Seconds later, the cut in my palm was closed and my skin prickled with the feel of his magic.
I bent down to start picking up the shattered cup, but Hades pulled me up by the elbow.
“Stay,” he commanded. He pulled another mug down from the cabinet, refilled it, poured an embarrassing amount of cream and sugar in it and handed it to me. He walked me into the living room, sat me down and loomed over me. “Sit here for a few minutes. Worry not.”
He left me sitting there in a daze as he went back in to clean up my mess.
How could I not want him?
I stared heavenward at my ceiling cursing my heart and the prophecies threatening to take over my life. If I were destined to die, how could I be Queen? Clotho told me I was destined to rule the Heavens and the Sea, but what about Hades’ current pursuit of me? And how could I have a life with Hades if he already had one with Persephone?
These were questions for another day. In the meantime, I had to do two things: stop myself from throwing myself at Hades and finish Christmas dinner.
Chapter 11
Less than an hour later I had an apron tied around my neck and I was bustling around the kitchen trying to avoid Hades and pretty much everyone else.
But Hades wasn’t having any of it. He’d also put on an apron - a frilly one that said, “Housewife”. My lips twitched every time he moved because lace flounced out with every step he took.
Hermes left us alone, thank the gods, but Artemis was hanging around like a cold I couldn’t get rid of. I loved her but I really wanted to be left alone. Instead, she peppered me with rapid fire questions every twenty seconds, whispering even though Hades could hear everything she said.
“What’s wrong? What happened? Why did you drop your cup? Is everything okay?”
I added more streusel topping to the sweet potato casserole and popped it into the oven for an hour. “I’m fine.”
“No, you aren’t. I know you better.”
My gaze flicked to Hades. He was rolling out cookie dough and trying to appear uninterested.
“Can we talk about this later?”
Artie’s gaze shuttered. “You say that and then we never do. I’m your best friend and lately, all you’ve been doing is shutting me out.”
She was right. My shoulders hunched. “It’s just really complicated right now,” I whispered.
Clotho, the gods bless her, chose that moment to interrupt. “Artie, I was wondering if you could help me with something.”
She winked at me when Artie wasn’t looking. I knew Artie wanted to stay right where she was but you didn’t tell one of the Fates no. Looking dejected, she took her apron off and followed behind Clotho.
I sighed in relief, but it was short-lived because Hades was still in the kitchen. He hadn’t come near me yet but I could sense the tension in him.
“I can’t tell you,” I said.
“Why not?” he asked quietly.
“It’s something I have to figure out for myself.”
We were careful to keep our voices low but in a house full of immortals it was likely someone was hearing what we were saying, and I didn’t want them to hear my thoughts on this subject. The word “queen” was being thrown around a lot lately and I’d gotten some clarification on it, but everything with prophecy was subject to change or subjected to someone’s interpretation. When it finally came down to discovering what it was, close to a hundred percent of the time, all of us were taken by surprise because no one expected it. Hecate was the one who began the prophecy. The Fates believed I was destined to rule in two different kingdoms. This was the first time I felt like I had a true inkling of what was in store for me, but I was still confused by it.
I couldn’t be a dead queen. Could I?
Oh God. Did I have to die to become Queen of the Underworld? Could I still be Queen of everything else if I died? Why were prophecies so confusing?
Was Hades dead? I stared at him. He felt and looked very much alive.
Would I be Queen for a day and then Persephone murder me out of rage?
I choked out a strangled, hysterical laugh.
“Abby?”
I studied him and took a few steps closer. “Do you ever feel like you’re involved in an immortal game of ping-pong?”
Confusion reigned supreme on his face. “Explain ping-pong to me.”
I sighed. “Do you feel like you’re just being bounced back and forth between bigger players than you or me?”
He shook his head. “Please do not take this the wrong way. There are few larger players than I.”
I crossed my arms and frowned. “Then why can’t you go get your wife yourself?”
His face darkened.
I pressed on. “You aren’t telling me something. Something huge. I can feel it.”
Guilt slithered across his expression. “I told you. She has something of mine.”
I shook my head. “Not good enough.” Anger built within me, but I took a deep breath and let it go. It wasn’t the time. I waggled my finger at him and leaned in close. “Soon Hades you will tell me the reasons behind this. If I am to die for you, then I will not walk in blind.”
He gripped me by the shoulders and pulled me into his chest. “You will not die.”
I shook my head. “Maybe. Maybe not. There are more powerful forces behind this than you or me.”
He pushed me away and stared intently at me. “We will talk. Soon.”
“Promise?”
He smiled. “On my dark heart, I swear.”
I snorted. “Deal.”
I turned away from him and opened the fridge to pull out the enormous defrosted ham I’d purchased earlier.
“Operation Kill No One Over Christmas dinner has begun.”
Hades opened the oven door for me, and I slid the ham in and wiped my hands on the towel hanging by the stove.
Chapter 12
I had to admit. We were a damned beautiful bunch of people. I’m not sure if Artie or Clotho hog-tied everyone into doing it, but all of the immortals who’d barged into my house dressed for dinner this evening. The dinner that was supposed to be lunch.
It didn’t matter, though. The ambiance was incredible. Snow fell in silent flurries outside of the window, leaving a soft, white blanket of snow on the outside porch. The long table was decorated with pine cones, garlands of berries and an enormous ham sitting right in the middle.
Zeus and Hermes stood at opposite ends of the table looking more handsome than they had any right to. Any evidence of grievous injury had left Zeus. He stood there dressed in a human tuxedo, complete with an emerald green bow tie. His hair had been somewhat tamed and his beard trimmed neatly. As I descended the stairs, he winked at me.
Hera stood beside him, wearing a floor length gown of emerald. Whatever those two were going through seemed to be at a halt now, for which I was grateful. Her blonde hair flowed down her back and glittered in the candlelight. She bestowed a soft smile upon me, her eyes sad, but not angry for once. Emeralds dripped down her throat and encased both of her wrists.
Artie and Clotho stood together, both with their similar colored hair flowing in shiny ringlets down to their waists. Artie wore a deep chocolate jumpsuit. Her neck was bedecked with chocolate diamonds and her bow sat close to her. Clotho had foregone her broom skirt and stood in full Fate regalia.
I sucked in a breath as I stared at her. She wore a long, flowing gown of white. Her arms were exposed but tattooed with words of an ancient language I could not understand. Her eyes glittered with knowledge and upon her head rested a crown full of ivy. Across the bosom of her gown, stones of ruby and emera
ld glittered. The colors of blood and power and…if you thought like me, also the colors of Christmas.
But Hades. Good gracious. Our gaze met and held as I took the last few steps to the table. He wore a charcoal suit of gray, but his tie was blood red. His ebony hair was at odds with his silvery eyes. And he had failed to shave, whether by design or by accident I didn’t know.
Upon his head rested a crown filled with stones I’d never seen before. Stones filled with smoke that moved and shifted restlessly in all the colors of the rainbow. In his hand, he held his staff, his symbol of power and domain in the Underworld.
There was a seat open next to him. I walked over to it and stood behind the chair.
He turned to me and spoke. “‘Hear my soul speak. The very instant that I saw you did
My heart fly to your service, there resides To make me slave to it, and for your sake
Am I this patient log-man.”’
I swallowed hard.
“Shakespeare,” Artie whispered in awe and whistled low. “Damn.”
Clotho snorted in amusement.
Hades pulled my chair out and I sat, shaken to my core.
“Your beauty is nothing compared to the strength of the soul and character I see within you,” he added to make it worse.
I blew out a slow breath and offered him a wobbly smile before I turned to the rest of the table. Everyone took their seats.
Zeus was staring at me and Hades, hard, like something transpired he hadn’t expected. I definitely hadn’t expected Hades to spout off Shakespeare like a total rock star, but I couldn’t acknowledge it right now. I was very confused about this whole thing.
I had to find Persephone. As soon as humanly or inhumanly in my case, possible.
I cleared my throat. “I know the last few days have been a little…eventful.”
Chuckles resounded around the table.
“But I thank you for sharing this meal with me today. I know my life isn’t easy for other immortals to understand, but the beautiful thing I’ve come to realize is I don’t need anyone to understand it, as long as those I love do. And, while I do care about all of you,” I smiled to soften the blow a bit, “there are others here whom I genuinely love.” I picked up my wine glass. “Thank you for traveling this road with me.”
Everyone picked up their wine glasses, clinked, and drank. Moments later we were passing around beautiful silver dishes filled to the brim with delicious goodies.
I was glad to say not a single immortal tried to commit murder over our beautiful Christmas dinner.
Maybe we could be trained. It was a thought to ponder.
Epilogue
Hera and Zeus left not too long after Christmas dinner. They didn’t seem a hundred percent at ease with each other, but Hera hadn’t flung magic at him in at least a day so maybe they were on the right track.
Hades sat across from me, his tie loosened and his stockinged feet resting upon an ottoman. Artie and Clotho had given up and already changed into their pajamas. Artie threw her hair up into a messy ponytail and Clotho settled for a long braid.
I, on the other hand, still wore my Christmas finery. I didn’t get to dress up too often in human clothing and I loathed to take off the frilly, glittery tutu skirt I’d bought on a whim during an impromptu trip out to town. I did concede in taking off my shoes, though. My feet were curled underneath me as I nursed yet another glass of wine. Ambrosia free wine, that is. No use taking silly chances when I’d invited Hades to stay the next week.
That may not have been my brightest moment. His presence was like staring up at the Death Star. He may not say it, but he was definitely coming for me.
Artie broke the silence. “Hades?”
He sipped his wine and acknowledged my friend. “Mmm?”
“I’m beginning to suspect not all is right in your world.”
I choked on my wine. Clotho rolled her eyes but she looked amused.
“Why do you say that?” he asked, unconcerned at the road her questioning was taking.
“You appear to be on a one-way road of wooing my friend here. Yet, I seem to remember you asking her to track down your errant wife. The one you were really in love with.” A perfect eyebrow arched as she pinned him with her devastating violet gaze.
Hades set down his wine. “There are things Abby and I must discuss and soon. Things I must keep quiet for now. But rest assured, I have no deviant plans for your friend, nor do I plan to hurt her. At this time she has nothing but my utmost gratitude and devotion and I shall endeavor to keep it so. She is a glorious specimen of immortality in a field of spoiled weeds and I admire her for it. She is a ruby in a mine of quartz and when we see things like her, we should take the proper care to nurture and harvest properly.”
Artie blinked. “You are really good with words.”
Hades sighed. “I fear I speak too much. Artemis, Huntress of the Woods, Aphrodite has nothing to fear from me. We have an...arrangement and when such arrangement has concluded, we shall speak then.” His silvery gaze turned to me. “I’m afraid I have plans for your friend.”
My brows knit together. “Excuse me?”
Hades speared me with a devastating grin. “I plan on making you fall in love with me.”
Clotho sat up straight. “Oh. Damn,” she said and began to laugh hysterically.
“Oh. Damn,” I repeated breathlessly.
And so ended my first human Christmas. With beautiful words of Shakespeare and the Devil himself intent on shaking up the core foundations of my life.
About the Author
S.E. Babin is an award-winning author with a passion for writing books with a paranormal twist. Whether it's romance or mystery, she loves taking the norm and turning it into the extraordinary. Her love of reading turned into a curious exploration to see whether or not she could write her own novel. Beginning with discarded pages of angsty novels and a slightly popular reimagining of Beowulf's Grendel in her high school English class, Sheryl spent way too much time in the library, killing any chance of her becoming a cheerleader or anything even remotely cool.
Also by S.E. Babin
The Hunt for Snow
Snow’s Lament
