Chapter 75
Michael is waiting for him at the mansion, and when Darkous arrives, he is shocked to find both Darren and Joey there also. They were all sat in the living room, there eyes on the door the moment that he arrived.
“Darkous.” Michael bows, as always, “we thought you’d like a drink while we wait.”
The lord of hell smiles, though it is more creepy than happy, it isn’t often that he smiles, and when he does, it unnerves everyone around him. Including those who are the most loyal.
“It is like you read my mind.” Darkous laughs, walking across the room and sitting in his favourite chair.
The hellhound, Robert, comes out of the kitchen and goes straight to Darkous, wanting attention after the days he spent away. He’s a loyal beast. Just like his father, Cerberus. He looks like him too, except that he has one head, not three.
Cerberus belongs to Hades, and Hades alone, but the children he has fathered are spread out all across the realm.
“What is going on with the girl?” Darren asks, cracking open a bottle of whiskey and handing it straight to his lord.
“I’m not sure.” Darkous admits coldly, “but Hades knows what he is doing, I’m sure he won’t damage her too much.”
“Are you certain of that?” Michael asks, “I can’t be the only one who remembers what happened the last time you took a person there to be tested.”
Darkous shrugs, taking a long gulp of his drink, “this is different. He knows how important she is, and he isn’t going to let himself lose control.” He laughs a little, “He even promised to call me if he starts to lose it.”
“Who is going to train her?” Joey asks, cracking open his own bottle of whiskey, a weaker brand. He doesn’t handle his alcohol that well.
He never has.
“I am, and so is Michael.” Darkous says, sparking a cigarette. “We may call upon the two of you if we need assistance. It will take all of us to get her ready to fight,”
Darren leads forward, curious. “And you are certain she is the key to winning?”
Darkous sighs, they’ve had this conversation before, but they clearly haven’t accepted his answer.
“Yes.” He says with a sharp edge to his voice, “I am certain, you have seen it! She has the power to destroy worlds.”
“We have seen it, and that is what worries me.” Darren says with a sigh, “especially if we can’t convince her to use it for us.”
“The girl will not betray me.” Darkous snaps, so sure of himself that he can’t see the flaws in his plan.
Joey laughs, throwing his head back, “But Surely you realise that she already has done exactly that.” He said, “she ran, and she hid, all because she didn’t want to have anything to do with the war, what makes you think that she has changed her mind?”
Darkous growls, slamming the bottle onto the table, “she will not do it again.” He says, “I have decided that we are to be wed.”
“You are going to marry her?” Michael asks, with wide eyes. “Are you crazy?”
“Our family has done it for centuries.” Darkous says, calming down, but only a little.
One more comment from the men, and he may blow his mind.
“I know that.” Michael says, “but she doesn’t seem the type to want to marry,”
Darkous shrugs his shoulders, not caring if she doesn’t want it. “She belongs to me, and I will make sure she accepts.”
She has no choice but to obey, whether she likes it or not, they will become one, and they will rule together.
“None of you should be worried.” He says when the room falls silent, “she already knows that it is coming, and she knows it will be once we win the war.”
“Then perhaps she is hoping that you lose the war.” Laughs Joey, “you aren’t exactly the type to be a gentle husband.”
“I used to be.” Darkous says, a sad edge to his voice, “I’m sure that as the years pass, we will grow more comfortable with one another.”
“It’s possible.” Michael says softly, “but it is also possible that she will betray you.”
“Let’s talk about something else.“ Darkous snaps, and the room falls silent once more.
The conversation changes, just as Darkous wanted it to, and they laugh, and jokey and talk about things that don’t really matter to them, because everyone, even the lord of hell, needs time to relax.
“I’m going to call it a night.” Darren says, climbing over Joey’s body.
He passed out sometime after he finished the bottle of whiskey, Darren and Darkous are the only ones left awake all because Darren doesn’t drink, not whilst he is on call for the hospital.
“Why?” Darkous asks, he has not finished for the night, he is just starting to feel the buzz of the alcohol.
He likes it when it makes him feel lighter, especially when he has a lot weighting him down.
“I have a shift at the hospital in an hour.” Darren admits, “I’ll be back in a few hours.”
Darkous eventually nods, allowing him to leave, and once he does, the lord of hell stares into the fire, wondering what comes next.
He knows that the girl might betray him, and he is ready for that eventuality, but he also wants to hold onto the idea that she may not fight against him anymore.
He wants her to submit.
But will she?