Secret Shadows: A Greek God Paranormal Romance (Immortal Rogues Book 1)

by Alexa Whitewolf

  Rivers abound, as do mountains in various areas. Where there should be sky, I find only a vast emptiness. How can someone live here and still hold on to light?

  I force the dark thoughts away. Evidently, I’ll need a home, and perhaps an area to discuss with spirits. If I’m to live here, I’ll want a good, solid relationship with them. There might even be things we can help each other with.

  And there’s the matter of the prison and ensuring it remains a prison no one can escape… I glance around, taking it all in, and not for the first time missing the ambrosia.

  Before I can even think about conjuring myself some, a spark of lightning bursts in the distance, followed by another, and another, and something that rolls like thunder. I approach the spot carefully. Surely Zeus wouldn’t bother to come here?

  It’s not him, though. It’s a blond god, with a hammer in his right hand. And he’s not a stranger, either. I’ve seen him before, by Odin’s side—Thor. And he’s surrounded by three women, their long hair in braids, and dressed in a full body of armor.

  Upon my arrival, Thor turns to me, settling his gray eyes on me. “Father said we are to bring our captures here. Are you Hades?”

  “I am.”

  He nods, thumping his chest. “Thor.” He gestures to the women. “And my Valkyrie guards.”

  I wait. His thoughts are all over the place, while the Valkyries assess the area. Curious, I peer into their minds—they’re identifying weaknesses I hadn’t even thought of.

  “Where, exactly, are we to bring our evils, once we catch them?” Thor asks in the end.

  I point to the farthest peak, filled with a reddish tinge. “Tartarus.”

  “And what will guarantee they cannot escape?”

  I sigh. I’d been wondering the same thing, and I worked out a small solution. “I plan to separate this land and ensure it’s kept aside from all others. Tartarus will only remain here, and the rest…” I shrug under the Valkyries’ assessing gaze. “I haven’t gotten that far yet. But one idea did strike me for the prison. Since the evils of our worlds belong to each of our realms, it would help if gods from each pantheon come here and cast binding enchantments.”

  Thor frowns. “Like a mixed pot of spells, to keep prisoners in?”

  One of the Valkyries says, “Each pantheon would thus ensure their enchantments would protect not just their own, but other pantheons. One evil from Asgard would not know how to bypass an evil from Olympus.”

  “Exactly. One of our Titans, for example, could rattle our enchantments, but they won’t be able to rattle yours. And if they do, I’ll get wind of it and warn anyone of impending doom.”

  Thor rubs his beard, then checks with the Valkyries. “I approve of the idea. What do you need from us?”

  “Add your enchantments to the land and ask a few gods from every pantheon to do the same. For obvious reasons, my reach is limited.”

  His eyes narrow on me. Perhaps he hasn’t yet heard of my exile or doesn’t understand it as such. Whichever the case is, he nods. “I will, and I will send more. Thank you.”

  The moment after he’s gone, as are the Valkyries. One down, only…what, a few dozen left?

  I turn back to Tartarus. A faint reddish tinge separates the regular land from the rest. I step backward, and then some, until there is a breadth of space between me and what’s soon to become the best prison the world has ever known. Then I hold my hands out in front of me and clench my fists.

  The ground responds, rolling and molding to my will. It bucks like a willful horse, splitting and rearing back, becoming that which I envision. A foreign land, a split land…and a river separating me from the rest of it.

  On shaky legs, I head back to the mountain I’d been eyeing for my own home. Once there, I raise my hands again.

  Time to truly carve out my destiny.

  By the time I’m done with the castle that’ll be my home, it looks like a half-assed attempt. Not surprising—Poseidon’s always been the artistic one, not me.

  I’ve chosen a mountain far away from Tartarus, but within view of all the realm. And little by little, I carved a vision of my own home in it. I’ve gotten halfway through, and, really, it’ll only be me who lives here for now. So half is large enough.

  As I stare at my creation, it looks half the mountain was meant to be a work of art, and the rest is, well, a mountain. But, it’ll be good for now.

  I prepare to head in and carve out the inside, when another portal opens. This time, it’s two familiar faces that tumble out—Ileana and Frumos. And, dare I say it, they don’t seem to be fighting anymore.

  “You two seem to have solved your issues.”

  Ileana blushes and is quick to change the subject. “We came to help.”

  I shake my head. “No, not this time. You both have done enough.”

  “What?” Frumos frowns. “You cannot release us from being your guards. You need us now more than ever!”

  I had wondered if they would arrive, and I can only assume the delay is from not being told where I was initially. With a sigh, I gesture to the area.

  “Need you here, where only the dead come? I’ll be safe, but thank you for the concern,” I add wryly. “And I can, indeed, release you. When Zeus banished me here, he practically made me lord of this particular realm. Which means I have the power, now.”

  I glance at each of them in turn. “I don’t deny your help would be invaluable here, but you and I both know more things are happening on the surface than down here. Go, be free of your chains and find your own purpose. Perhaps you’ll help others, as you did me. You deserve better than this hellish hole.”

  They both share a glance, my words taking them by surprise.

  This means we are—

  —free to do as we wish, Ileana finishes for him.

  Their connection warms me. They probably don’t even realize how well their thoughts align. The kiss I’d shared with Ileana seems so long ago, as to be almost forgotten. There’s no jealous bone in my body as far as they’re concerned.

  And still, Ileana turns to me and walks closer. She rises on her tiptoes and kisses my cheek. “Thank you. It is an invaluable gift you provided us. But this will not be the last time we see you, Hades.”

  “Perhaps not. But for now, it is. Be happy, with the one you truly deserve.”

  She steps back, joining Frumos. Hand intertwined with his, she smiles at me. “Happiness does not have to be a one-time thing, Hades. Persephone waits for you. You only need to ask her to come.”

  Her words are like shards to my heart. Must she say them, no matter how truthful they are?

  Persephone did say Olympus is the last place she wishes to be. But I have to hope things will change now that I’m not around. Perhaps they’ll all be focused on my disgrace, and not think of hers.

  “I won’t do that to her. She should live a good life in Olympus, not be stuck down here.” I force a grin. “Besides, I have all the company I need.”

  “Not yet.” Frumos laughs. “But you will, soon enough.”

  They disappear with those parting words. A moment later, or what seems like a moment later, another portal opens and in come some satyrs. Half-goat, half-men, they are workers in Olympus, used for menial chores, deity errands, and more. I never truly paid them attention, nor have most deities, I’d imagine.

  Stunned, I count half a dozen. Their hooved feet create a beat as they walk toward me, then stop. Multiple pairs of chocolate eyes stare at me, as if waiting for instructions.

  When I simply stare in dimwitted stupefaction, one of them, with salt-and-pepper hair, speaks to me. “Sire, we are here to help. The immortals let us through.”

  “Help with…what, exactly?”

  “Building your Underworld.”

  “But… Won’t you miss Olympus?”

  “We do not belong,” says another. “And neither do you. We heard of your exile and wish to join you. Here, we have a chance to be ourselves without being seen as less than.”

 
; How many times will I hear these same words, and how many times will they continue to shock me?

  “Will you allow us to stay, sire?” asks another, a younger one.

  “I…” I stare at their hopeful faces.

  Ileana and Frumos let them through… Of course they did. I hardly see an Olympian doing me a favor these days. And if they went against Zeus like this, how can I refuse? Especially when these poor souls are as suited to this place as I am.

  “Of course. Stay as long as you wish and leave whenever you are ready to.”

  One of them has already turned his attention to the half-finished castle behind me. “How can we help?”

  I’m not sure how much time passes. What I know is we work hard, and harder still, and in between, portals open every once in a while, with some deity or another coming to add their enchantments to Tartarus. No evils have yet been brought, not until the prison itself is ready.

  One such day, as we finish the carving of the audience hall in my new home—a satyr’s idea, as he mentioned souls would be more comfortable in an enclosed space—I get another visitor.

  One of my satyrs—I’ve come to think of them as my friends, really—comes to me. “An Egyptian is here!”

  This should be interesting…

  I toss the cloth I’d been using to wipe my face, and step outside. In Olympus, deities may not lift a single finger, but here, I promised to be more than what I was created.

  It’s night now, and the ceiling above this place is darker than ever. I’ve been sending bursts of energy into it to keep it lighted, but it will take more than that.

  So it’s no wonder I don’t see my visitor until I almost run into him. Then his jackal ears register. I’ve always found it odd, how these Egyptians choose to keep their half-animal, half-human forms. To each their own.

  “I am Anubis,” he says. “Come to add my enchantment to Tartarus.”

  “Thank you. You can find it through there.” I point him in the direction, expecting he will follow it without trouble. Most of them have so far.

  But he’s not done. Instead of leaving, he looks me up and down. “You are the one who will protect us?”

  “Yes.” I don’t mean to sound defensive, but it comes across as that.

  A half-snort escapes him. “Then we are in trouble.”

  Anger flares through me, but I will myself to remain calm. “How about you go do your bit? Then I’d suggest you leave my realm.”

  With a dark glare my way, he listens and disappears. I shouldn’t be surprised at his attitude given he does for the Egyptian pantheon what I’ve sort of landed in doing for mine—dealing with souls. Of course, his tasks don’t involve dealing with a massive prison meant to hold the worst of all our realms.

  Another voice replaces him, dragging me from my thoughts. “I see you are still not making any friends.”

  “I-Ileana?” I frown at her. Her mere appearance lights up this entire dump. Has it only been days since I’ve last seen her, or weeks? “What are you doing here?”

  “I come bearing a gift.” Her eyes land on the palace, and she smiles. “You did well, you know.”

  “And you seem happy.”

  She gives me a tentative smile, followed by a faint look of contrition.

  “Don’t feel like you owe me for your happiness, Ileana. We both know that no matter what spark was there, Frumos is the one for you.”

  The twinkle in her eyes seems to burn brighter. “The only one.”

  Her words, though candid, remind me of my only one. The one outside of this realm, the one I may not see for too many eons to count… If I ever get out of here, that is.

  I chuckle. “Now, where’s this gift you tease me with?”

  She whistles, and out of the darkness comes a little furball. Only, it’s…an odd one. I crouch lower, trying to understand what it is I’m seeing. It’s only once Ileana shines some light that I realize it’s a dog.

  He comes up to my knees, but instead of one head, he has three, each one adorned with floppy ears. And…a snake for a tail. His fur is grey mixed with brown, and his eyes are the color of a muddy lake.

  One tiny nose comes to sniff my hand, eliciting a chuckle from me. “You’ve brought me one of Apophos’ kids?” The god is a recluse, a monster more than deity, one who has chosen to keep his reptilian form rather than take on a human appearance like the rest of us. Yet another outcast…

  Ileana laughs. “Hardly. He was wandering Earth by himself. I could’ve left him there, to annoy humans in a few years, or…” A shrug. “The choice was simple.”

  “I can’t keep him here, Ileana. It would be inhumane.”

  “Not if you give him the guidance he needs.” She glances from me to him. “Believe me, you are well-suited for each other. Oh, and his name is Cerberus.”

  She’s gone in a flash of light, leaving more than just the puppy behind. Above my head, stars glint in the ceiling above, imploding light onto this dreary world. And, just like that, it’s starting to feel more and more like home.

  I turn my attention back to the furball, reaching out a hand and scratching behind one ear. While one head likes it, the other tries to bite at me. I gently nudge its muzzle.

  “We’ll get along just fine, I’d say.”

  I get up then and move back to my home. Little by little, this place is becoming…better. It may just be me and the satyrs, and the souls, but already they’re coming to me for advice. Soon, all humans who enter here will pass through my gates.

  I peer down at the dog. “And maybe you can help out, my newest friend.”

  When we enter my home, Cerberus bounds around in between the satyrs’ hooves, barking as his tiny snake tail tries to reach someone to bite. I can’t help another laugh, and it sounds good in this place.

  Now if only I could get the one goddess my heart desires, everything would be complete.

  Time passes differently down here. Or, so it feels. It might just be the lack of ambrosia clouding my mind, or that fact I finally have a purpose. I’m accepted. I belong.

  At first, it was hard to use so much deity power—after eons spent drunk out of my mind with ambrosia, it left me exhausted. But little by little, I built up endurance. To the point I’m finally reaching my full potential, the one I shunned time and time again.

  With each passing day, I find the satyrs’ thoughts less unnerving. They’ve become background noise, part of the world. But their presence here keeps me grounded, reminding me the work I’m doing is important, and also, my choice.

  Cerberus grows like crazy. And since no one’s come demanding his return to some other realm, I accepted Ileana’s gift wholeheartedly. His consciousness grows all the time, and he’s started testing me. Mentally, that is. I find it builds more and more of a connection between us.

  And he’s not the only one…

  The souls have taken a liking to me. I was surprised when the first one came to me, introducing himself as an olden king who’d been in the Underworld for eons. He explained how death worked for them, and how out of sorts all souls feel once they enter the Underworld. How they don’t belong, and also feel like they’ve been thrust into the biggest hell on Earth.

  I’d already realized Tartarus would hold the evilest, but the other souls? They had nowhere to go. Other than roam the land for eternity. Their thoughts, as I meet each and every one, become the sole driving force behind my next days’ work.

  There has to be something I can do, some way I can ensure the souls who don’t deserve punishment live out their eternal rest, freely and happily. Not just for my own sanity—there’s only so much human complaint I can deal with and not lose my mind—but also for their eternal soul.

  Amid all these conversations taking place, and me trying to find a solution, Morrigan comes to visit. She materializes one day in a tornado of dark green smoke and fresh scents, seeking me out the moment she’s fully formed.

  “Hades.”

  I step to her and pull her into a hug. She smells like
the freshest of meadows after a rain, and I linger a moment longer. Questions are on the tip of my tongue—about Olympus, about the Council, about Odin and Fenrir…and Persephone. But I hold them all back, instead only focusing on one.

  “Come to add your enchantments?”

  She nods, a twinkle in her eyes. “Among other things.”

  “Tartarus is through there.” I point in the direction, much as I’ve done with every other deity. “Find me when you’re done.”

  Moments later, she’s back, surveying my castle with interest. “You did all this in just a few weeks of being here?”

  I shrug. “I had time on my hands.”

  “And focus.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Come now, Hades. We both know you have been in a stupor of ambrosia for eons.”

  There’s little I can do to deny it. “True.”

  “Will you say no to a drink with an old friend, then?” She produces a decanter, and I grin.

  “I’d never dream of saying no to you.”

  I lead her inside my new home, and we open the fresh brew.

  “Dionysus’ best,” she says.

  “Thank you.” I take a sip, then two. The liquid tastes sweet going down my throat, like a well-acquired taste. Even better than Zeus’ reserve… But I’m no longer devoured by my need to consume the entire thing. Instead, I sip it slowly. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure, besides everything?”

  Cerberus chooses that moment to step in. Food. Food. Food! His incessant, childish thoughts assail me, and I barely hold back a laugh. He’s already grown from the puppy stage to what a regular human dog would be like. In a few more days, I’ll have to fix him some housing outside.

  Morrigan watches as he nudges my knee, expecting more petting. “New friend?”

  “Of a sort. Gift from my immortal guard, before she left.”

  Her jaw drops. “They did not stay?”

  “I wouldn’t let them. Not when there’s much more use for them above ground.”