by King Ellie
Aides rolled his eyes,
“Scarlett said she killed someone, a female doctor. Did you get her soul?”
Death thought about it for a second.
“No, there was no female doctor, especially not one killed by Scarlett. I would’ve known because there is a signature to every kill.”
Aides slowly nodded,
“Okay so then, you’re saying she survived the crash and the bleeding out? Scarlett told me about it all. There’s no way a human can be alive after that.”
Death shook his head,
“How many times must I come to you and tell you that your dear ex is causing mischief? I’ve warned you over and over. I could beat around the bush and make you guess it all, but I sort of like Scarlett. She’s seen me before, she just doesn’t remember. When I took her brother, back home, she smiled at me. She saw us both, so I always saved her when she really needed it,” Death stated. “When you couldn’t find her, it was due to Rai having injected Tristan’s blood into her veins. She didn’t know, and when it all ran out, Rai ran but don’t worry about her, she’s right here.”
Death snapped its fingers, and a distraught Rai appeared on her knees. She was bleeding all over yet it seemed like she wasn’t losing any blood.
Cerberus growled, baring his teeth. He snapped them together as though he wanted a piece of her, but Aides shushed him by lazily petting the top of his head.
“Shh, it’s okay boy, I’ll give you her heart in a bit. Let me just ask her something,”
“Please,” Rai begged. Her skin was being peeled and set back in place every few seconds. She screamed out through her gritted teeth. Aides tilted his head, she looked just like Scarlett and Arabella, but at the same time, she didn’t.
Aides tsked and narrowed his eyes at Death,
“My floors are getting wet now I have to get someone to clean up after Cerberus when he gets his meal. But,” Aides lifted his index finger, “where’s my dear, lovely ex? I want to speak with her. Bring her to me.”
Death smiled wickedly,
“You didn’t hear?” He teased Aides.
“Hear what?” Aides asked.
“Your ex was dumb enough to link herself to Rai as a life source. That’s why Scarlett was so easy to find and try to manipulate each time. Unfortunately, that’s another way to track our dear Persephone.” Death snapped his fingers again, “Aides, may I introduce you to Scarlett’s dear doctor, Lana Pearson.”
Lana appeared there immediately looking like she’d seen better days. Her skin was falling from her face, she had a deep gash where Scarlett had stabbed her. Aides couldn’t help it as he laughed hard. He hadn’t had a good laugh in a long time. After he settled, he sighed,
“Persephone, I’m only going to ask you once, why?”
Persephone’s entire body shook because she didn’t think that she would be back here ever again. Aides wasn’t the evil guy that they all thought he was when it came to her. She fell so much in love with him, but when he let her go after he said he never would, she was resentful to whoever changed his mind. When she found out, it was because of Scarlett, she was lucky that Rai was just as evil as her. There was never really a reason to the mother being that way, but she just was.
In order to bind Rai and her to each other, they needed an angel’s blood. They killed Tristan when he least expected it. Rai never knew what he was, but she knew. Tristan was Scarlett’s guardian angel who made himself known only to Scarlett, but it wasn’t hard for her to figure it all out. Once Tristan died in Scarlett’s arms, they hit her over the head and made sure she ingested enough of Tristan’s blood so that Aides could never find her. What they didn’t expect was for Scarlett to grow up and be as strong as she was.
The medicine was supposed to cause her to be sick and eventually die, but they didn’t succeed, and it was due to the ingesting of the angel’s blood. It didn’t help them either. Persephone looked up at Aides, she was arrogant to the end.
“I did it for you. I did it because I love you with all my heart.” She answered.
Usually, Aides enjoyed torture, but he would rather torture her soul. He stopped petting Cerberus, and before Persephone could make a run for it, he attacked. Aides didn’t flinch as Persephone screamed while Cerberus tore through her.
“Cerberus, shift.” Aides calmly stated.
Cerberus wasn’t just the big hellhound anymore. He transformed into a monster that devoured souls, he stood on his hind legs as he grabbed both Rai and a dying Persephone. He ripped Rai’s head off while he crushed Persephone’s lungs.
“Well,” Death said. “This was… fun?” He shrugged his shoulders. “See you at the wedding.”
Aides shook his head,
“you’re invited? Why?”
Death chuckled.
“You’ve always been a bastard, don’t change now just cause you’re in love.”
Aides chuckled,
“Fuck you.”
Death disappeared as Aides sat back, enjoying the view of Cerberus eating up Persephone and Rai.
****
When Aides returned to Scarlett, it was late, yet she wasn’t asleep. He found her on the couch watching tv with a jar of peanut butter and a spoon.
“You’re not sleeping yet?” Aides walked over to her and kissed the top of her head as she finished licking the spoon.
Scarlett shrugged,
“I couldn’t sleep,” She answered then she turned around facing him. She glanced up at him,
“are they dead? Did you kill them both? How did my mom die?” Her eyes sparkled with joy.
Aides bit his bottom lip and squatted down to match her eye level. He leaned in as his tongue darted out, licking the peanut butter she had left on her bottom lip.
“I missed you,” he smiled at her.
“I missed you too,” Scarlett answered. “Now, tell me.”
Aides chuckled.
“Before I tell you that, I need you to know something. Your brother, Tristan. You didn’t kill him. He died for you because that was the only way to protect you. He knew your future or rather the alternative one, so he made a choice. He sacrificed himself for you,” As Aides told this to Scarlett, she began tearing up. Aides reached out, cupping her face in his as he placed the spoon and peanut butter on the table with his mind.
“Baby, don’t cry, okay? One day, someday, Tristan will be given another chance to be in this world for the good deed that he did. He knew that giving up his life would mean being totally wiped out but he did it so you could live. He loved you so much, and now I know who told me that you were ours. It was Tristan. He meant that you were part of him and me too except his love is purely love. Aww, come here baby,” Aides decided to stop speaking, and he lightly kissed her forehead before he picked her up in his arms.
He would take over for Tristan in being her guardian. He wasn’t an angel, but that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t protect her with his life. He knew he couldn’t die so this was the best decision he had ever made. Scarlett wrapped her arms around his neck as he took her to the room. They laid on the bed with him in his full suit and her in her pajamas. He held her close because it was all over. She no longer had to watch her back.
“Thank you, Aides. Thank you for never letting go of me.” Scarlett said.
“I’d be a fool if I ever did, which I won’t. I love you, Scarlett and one day, when Tristan is reborn, I’ll take you to him.” Aides said.
“You promise?” Scarlett asked.
“I’d do anything for you.” He replied.
“I still want to watch how they died,” Scarlett said, and Aides laughed.
He kissed the top of her head,
“Don’t worry, I can show you on replay. I have that ability. Whenever you want to see it, I’ll show you.”
He felt Scarlett smile,
“Okay and Aides?”
“Yes?”
“Can you bring Cerberus up here? I miss him.” Scarlett admitted.
“Anything for my wife.”
Scarlett got out of his arms and immediately moved to kiss Aides. She didn’t care about anything at the moment as she knew that her world was now perfect. The world, although filled with destruction had a slither of hope for her, and his name was Hades, the god of the underworld.
EPILOGUE
Scarlett looked around. She didn’t know that Alcide knew this many people or rather that he was familiar with so many different creatures. She had the ability to see so many people from the ones that went bump in the night, to the different gods that graced the wedding of Arabella and Alcide.
Arabella was going to pop soon, but she didn’t care. She wanted her wedding ceremony before the baby came.
“Who’s all out there?” Arabella asked.
Scarlett turned around and shut the door of the small waiting room they were in as everyone settled. She looked at her sister. Arabella and Scarlett were twins, yes, but they still had their own identity. It was like looking into a mirror but seeing a better version of yourself for both of them. Scarlett smiled wide at her sister,
“Show time,” she said, not answering her. A live band began performing what became Arabella and Scarlett’s favorite song, Change your mind by Tori Kelly.
Scarlett was happy that she was the one that was going to walk her sister down the aisle as the music prompted them. When they left the small waiting room and began to walk down the aisle leading to where they should be going, Scarlett scanned the crown and found the best part of her. She smiled as Aides wore a smoky gray suit with a bowtie and his hair was loose, just how she liked it. He had a smile that promised her a good time as he stood as the best man for Alcide.
Alcide was nervous as he watched his bride begin walking towards him. She was beautiful, even with her belly. She had nothing to be ashamed of at all. Her all-white empire sweetheart beaded chiffon gown flowed on the floor as she made her way to her future. She smiled as she didn’t wear the veil over her head instead it was clipped to the diamond piece that was pinned up with her hair. The small diamond beaded veil made for a longer train.
Scarlett’s smile couldn’t disappear, no matter what. She had survived. Long enough to walk her twin down the aisle. To see her sister, get married to the man that she loved. One who would always have her back. One who would never let her go, no matter what. He wouldn’t choose someone else over her neither would he be a bad father. She handed her sister’s hand over to Alcide. He took Arabella’s hand in his and then leaned down kissing Scarlett’s forehead.
“Thank you for trusting me with your sister.” He sincerely said.
She smiled,
“Anything for the best brother-in-law,” she answered as she moved so that the ceremony could start.
****
Scarlett should’ve been paying attention to what Arabella and Alcide were saying to each other, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the man that she loved. Was it the fact that he loved her too? Or was it that he came to her whenever she needed it. She couldn’t pinpoint why it was like this, but her love for him was never going to dim no matter what.
As Arabella and Alcide said their vows, Aides spoke to Scarlett telepathically.
I love you.
He said to her, and she widened her eyes.
Wait… I can, I hear you… in my head.
Scarlett answered him.
I know, baby, I know. Now, I’d like to say my vows to you. Will you let me?
Aides asked her.
Scarlett smiled widely.
Anything for the man that I love.
Aides' grin widened.
Scarlett, my soul. I love you. You’re one of those things I never knew I needed. I thought maybe owning your soul would’ve made you just belong to me, but I didn’t know that what I’d be was yours. You are everything to me, and without you, I don’t know where I’d be right now. Well, besides torturing someone in my kingdom but loving you makes me realize that I don’t need my throne. I don’t need my kingdom. I am a god with you and without you, I’m nothing. So, you will forever have me. There’s nothing that could ever make me say that I’m not yours.
Aides finished at the same time that Alcide finished his vows to Arabella. Scarlett’s expression mirrored Arabella’s but for different reasons, nonetheless. Scarlett sniffled, quickly wiping away some tears that slipped out.
Hades, my Aides, my whatever the hell the cosmic want to call you. Even if no one else believes in you, I will always believe in you. You changed me for the better. I was always scared. Always wondering who I was. Who betrayed me, who did me wrong but with you, I had a friend. I had a confidante, and most importantly, I found my soul. I was soulless, yet you gave me yours because I deserved to feel how it feels to have a soulmate. Baby, I would never want you to give up your kingdom for me because wherever you are, I am there. With you, I have experienced love, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. I love you like crazy, and I’m glad you noticed that you are a god with me and without me, you are nothing. I completely feel the same way. I may not be a goddess to these creatures here, but with how you treat me, how you look at me and the way you love me, I know that I am. I feel that I am, and I thank you for it all. I thank you for giving me back to me, and when I say me, I mean you.
Aides felt like he was soaring, and he wanted to go to Scarlett, but then a groan from Arabella pulled him back to the now. He blinked facing Arabella whose water broke. He knew the signs from her facial expression to the liquid that was making a path.
“Guess, it’s that time,” Aides patted Alcide on the back.
“Wait!” Arabella screamed. “No, pronounce us husband and wife first. Hurry up!” She yelled at the priest, who quickly pronounced them husband and wife.
Arabella chuckled as Alcide quickly kissed her.
“Are you ready now, babe?” He asked her with worry on his face.
She chuckled,
“Yes. I love you Alcide,” she said.
“I love you too, Ari,” He kissed her forehead as he led her out towards the car.
He could’ve transported them, but that would’ve made it worse.
Aides stood there with Scarlett watching as his nephew and his new wife, the weird dynamic of it all but family nonetheless, went to have a baby. He sighed, facing Scarlett as she slipped her arm in his,
“We’re going to have a baby in the family,” she announced with happiness.
Aides smiled down at her,
“What are we going to name our son?” Aides asked.
Scarlett didn’t think anything of it as she answered with the biggest smile on her face,
“Tristan.”
Aides made sure that she was looking into his eyes as he said the next words,
“Tristan can’t wait to meet his mother either.” He leaned in and kissed her surprise face.
Scarlett was pregnant. After all the crazy she went through, life was looking up and she couldn’t wait to be even happier but being a mother, brought such joy to her heart. She hoped that her son had the qualities of her brother Tristan. That he would be just as kind, loving and cherished every moment of life.
I love you, Scar.
Aides said to her, telepathically.
I love you too, Hades.
Scarlett replied.
WRITERS WANTED
After Hours Publications, is accepting submissions for writers of Romance that excel writing Interracial Romance within the sub-genres of Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal, New Adult, Dark Romance and LGBT. If you’re interested, email the first 3-4 chapters with your synopsis to [email protected]
Check out our website for more information: www.afterhourspublications.com.
COMING OCT 4TH
When you let others opinions control your life you can miss out on a lot. Milo unintentionally made the biggest mistake of his life. He let his true love get away and missed out on the best thing anyone could have. Parenthood.
Not trying hard enough to get what you want can turn into a great let dow
n. Ava didn't fight hard enough. She let him get away. She allowed others to make decisions for her.
Coming from two different cultures can be the death of a young love. Now that Milo has a second chance, will he step up and tell others to stay the hell out of his life's decisions? Or will time prove that nothing has changed? Is it really Ten Years Too Late?
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