*Twenty Years Later*
“You know you can’t stay hidden forever Hades.”
“Sure, I can! I’ve been quite successful these past few years.”
Aphrodite rolled her eyes. “Don’t be coy.”
He was at his wit's end. Aphrodite was driving him mad with the same conversation and he was tired of it. “Let me guess. This is the part where you tell me I need to go and say *I’m here for you to murder me, but before you do, how about dinner, dancing then a wedding and kids? *”
“I’d start with a hello first. Don’t wanna scare your bride off.” She smirked as Hades glared at her.
“You’re not funny.”
She arched her brow, “You know, I was under the impression you weren’t afraid to die.”
He scoffed, “And your impression is still correct, however, that doesn’t mean I wish to do so on my honeymoon. Had Thanatos not killed that little weasel; I would have ripped his head from his shoulders.” She nodded in understanding.
“How do you think I feel? At least you get to see what your reincarnated Soul Tie looks like…”
He could see the sadness in her eyes, and for a moment he did feel guilty about not allowing her to enter hell. She was as much a victim of Hermes trickery as him and would suffer the same fate of being killed by her Soul Tie. Still, he couldn’t chance it. He’d meant what he said. Zeus had gone too far, and he would pay for his crimes, even if it meant he had to die alongside him.
“So, you’re telling me you aren’t curious at all?”
“I’ve seen her before.”
Aphrodite laughed, “Twenty years is a long time. Go on…go take a peek.”
Grumbling under his breath, he eyed her. “You better hang up before my dear brother finds out you’ve been speaking to me.”
Aphrodite rolled her eyes. “He can kiss my ass for all I care.”
“I think he would love that, though not quite sure how his wife would feel.”
“GOODBYE HADES!” She laughed, hanging up. Mulling over their conversation, Hades found himself conflicted. Though he had no desire to be tied to Kore, he did want her and Adam to be fully prepared for what was to come.
*Why the fuck am I helping them? *
He really couldn’t explain it and that was getting under his skin the most. He shook his head. “I should have just stayed out of this entire thing…” Reaching for his jacket, Hades headed to the door. His feet were taking him, but his brain was begging him to remain underground.
------------------------------------------
“Are they training?”
Romulus nodded his head. “It’s all they do Thanatos. I know we want them to be prepared, but I can’t help but think about the fact that they’ve missed their entire lives…it’s not fair. Even we got to have a life when we were their age.”
Removing his glasses, Thanatos shook his head. “I know Romulus, but we did the best we could. Once they became old enough to understand, they both made the choice. We allowed them to travel, attend school…go on dates with whom they chose.” Thanatos rolled his eyes.
“Thanks for that last one by the way.”
Laughing, Romulus patted his brother on the back, “She’s an adult Thanatos, got to let her be free sometimes.”
Grumbling, Thanatos shooed his brother from his office. As the door closed, he felt a gust of wind behind him. Sense’s alert, the smell of death and brimstone permeated through the air. “Hades,” he said dryly not turning around.
Hades smiled, “Hello, old friend.”
“I would call us a lot of things, but friends isn’t one of them.” Standing, Thanatos turned and folded his arms to his chest. “Thought you were dead.”
Hades placed his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “Nah, I’m saving that for either your kids or my brother.” He grinned, “My moneys on your family though, from what I hear, Zeus is moving a lot slower these days.”
“What do you want?”
Hades scratched his chin. “Well…it appears that we have a bit of a sticky situation.”
Thanatos cut his eyes. “We made an agreement. You keep them out, you get to watch Zeus die.”
Hades’ hazel eyes gleamed. “Trust me, I have my popcorn and bourbon ready and waiting.” Leaning against the arm of the office couch, Hades waved his hands, producing a vision of Zeus. “Apparently Hermes-nice job, by the way, they’re still finding pieces of him-played a dirty trick on Aphrodite and me.”
“So?”
Hades folded his arms to his chest. “A dirty trick that involves your family.”
With a brow arched, Thanatos watched the hologram of Zeus taunting Hades about his and Aphrodite’s Soul Tie. “I don’t unde-” His words caught in his throat, and the God watched as the Grim Reaper paled right in front of him.
Whipping away the hologram, Hades smirked, “So, I guess that’s no to your blessing for your daughter's hand in marriage?” He snapped his fingers. “Darn it! I was so looking forward to being a part of the family.”
Hade's eyes widened as Thanatos's fist connected with his face, sending him flying into the wall. Eyes blackened, he glared at the God. “Get the fuck out!”
Hades held his jaw and grinned. “Now dad is that any way to treat your future son-in-law?"
Thanatos blew steam from his nose, “I’m not going to tell you again.”
“Relax Thanatos, I’m only kidding. I’m not interested in your brat. I just wanted to tell you first before you go up there and get a surprise that might throw you off your game.” A sinister smile spread across Thanatos's face.
“Evie honey, could you come here for a moment?” Shortly joining her husband in the office, Evie’s green eyes darkened.
“What in the hell is he doing here?”
“He’s come to ask for Kore’s hand in marriage. Apparently, she’s his soul tie.”
Hades cut his eyes. “I did not-WHAT THE FUCK?!” He screamed as Evie’s dagger connected with his shoulder, pinning him to the wall. Feeling his life pull from him, he glared at her. “What is this?!”
She smiled, “A gift from Derrick. Daggers infused with my blood. Sucks the life right out of ya.” She laughed as his eyes blackened. Removing it, a black mist formed around him.
“You two are really testing my patience. If you would let me finish, you would know I’m here to help. Kore and Adam might be able to defeat us, but that doesn’t mean Zeus or anyone else is going to go willingly.”
Thanatos shrugged, “You are, maybe they'll hop on the Hades death acceptance train.”
Laughing, Hades removed his jacket and inspected the hole left by Evie’s blade. “Somehow, I doubt that. Plus, let’s call it my karma for you know, the whole *kidnapping my wife thing*.”
Evie smirked, “So, are you planning on kidnapping Kore? I don’t think it will be as easy.”
His voice boomed around the room, causing the office to shake, “What part of I DON’T WANT YOUR BRAT don’t you understand? I don’t want to be tied to the fucking child any more than you want me to be! Trust I’d let her kill me right now if it meant getting out of it!” Feeling his body rise, he slammed hard into the wall again.
“Maybe I’ll take you up on that.”
Hade's eyes widened as he saw the figure stepping from the shadows of the hall. This wasn’t the child he’d seen all those years ago, no-this was something different altogether. Eyes the color of emeralds, her long raven hair cascaded down her back. The black latex training suit left no curve untraced, leaving small hints of her smooth caramel skin showing. He watched her full lips turn into a smirk as she approached him.
She looked him over, “Well, you aren’t what I was expecting at all.” She’d expected some kind of ancient being, or at the very least, a red demon but standing in front of her was neither. She took in his features. The muscular build she could easily see under the black t-shirt that he wore. His shoulder-length hair, that almost hid the gages in his ears. The hazel of his eyes, which currently stared at her in clear shock as well. She had to admit, he was very handsome.
“I could say the same for you. Now, will you release me?”
Winking, Kore released the God from her grasp. Thanatos cleared his throat, not enjoying the way the two eyed one another. “What the fuck are you looking at Hades?”
Kore grinned at the God, “Yeah *Hades*, what are you looking at?”
He cut his eyes. She was playing him, and between the latex and the smile, he couldn’t figure out which was working more. He seethed, “Nothing at all.”
Her smile widened. Arching her brow, she looked down and smirked, “Well, I suppose that makes only one of us. I on the other hand, am looking at a whole lot of something.”
Evie laughed, it growing as she heard Thanatos blow steam from his nose. She tapped him lightly, “Oh, stop it. I said way worse to you if you remember, and you gave me that exact look.”
He glared at Hades who stared at Kore enraged. “Yeah and the next thing I knew, I was in love, and married with a child.”
Clearing his throat, Hades widened the space between him and Kore and rolled his eyes. “Shouldn’t you be training or something?”
Smirking again, she turned. “Perhaps your right God of death…I should be training for the day when I am to slice your throat. Goodbye *Soul Tie* it has been an experience meeting my soon to be dead husband.”
Feeling his anger, Kore stifled a laugh as she exited the office. Once outside, she closed her eyes and let the breath she’d been holding in go. She punched the wall in anger and something she couldn't place.
*Perfect…just fucking perfect. *