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“Fuck. Nothing ever works out so easily,” I seethed, biting my tongue to stop myself from screaming, as it seemed X was running rings around us.
“You’re telling me. I see now it was wishful thinking on my part to ignore him for so long. I bet you won’t believe me, but I never meant for anyone to get hurt. I know I’m a son of a bitch, but I don’t actually believe in meaningless violence.”
His actions over the past months directly contradicted what he’d just said. He’d killed me, for God’s sake. But somehow, looking at his face when he spoke, seeing how raw he was, how truly sorry he seemed, I couldn’t help but believe him.
And if this was how he felt about Catina being taken, if he was upset about the lives stolen by X, killed so their souls wouldn’t end up where they belonged, it was the proof I’d been looking for to believe he was a good guy.
Knowing he wasn’t the villain, warmth spread throughout my chest at the reality. But if he was on our side then we needed his help.
I stood, set my half-empty water glass on the coffee table, and crossed the living room. Hades looked unsure when I approached him. He stood as well, ready to receive whatever I planned to dish out. He stared at me with uncertainty, but he never backed away. We’d fought so often that if I attacked, he likely wouldn’t have been shocked.
When I was in front of him, I stood on my toes, put my hand around the back of his neck, and pulled him down for a kiss.
Whatever he’d thought I was going to do, it wasn’t this. My kiss had caught him by surprise. His body went rigid, as if he wasn’t sure this was real.
But I kept my lips pressed to his, and a moment later he relaxed, softening. He wrapped his arms around my body, pulling me against him. We plastered together, his strength enveloping me, his scent melting me with desire. He kissed me properly, and I found the man I’d been with before.
He was sensual, tender, but his power didn’t carry the lust that usually came with it. This was more about connecting, about being on the same page.
About caring for each other for more than what we could gain physically.
And I liked this new version of him. Actually, I loved seeing this part of Hades.
I adored that he showed his real self to me.
“How does a cup of coffee sound?” He broke away from me and headed into the kitchen. “If we sit outside, we can probably spot a constellation or two.”
It felt strange talking to Hades so normally, with us not fighting, but I loved his company. And picturing us doing ordinary things left me jittery with excitement. It shouldn’t have, but he affected me beyond physical attraction. I wanted more of him, the god, the man he was right now.
Plus, I didn’t have the heart to tell him Chicago’s celestial landscape was almost invisible, obscured behind the strong glow of the city’s streetlights and buildings at night. I’d read somewhere that this city was one of the most light-polluted places in the world, which was sad. But I was with Hades, a god, so anything was possible, right?
“Yes to coffee.” I smiled to myself, hopeful this was a change in the right direction for Hades and me.
Soon enough, he offered me a cup of coffee with a dollop of cream, just how I liked it, and took my hand in his. His large palm swallowed mine, and our fingers interlaced. Such a small gesture but my stomach twirled with excitement from the strength of his hold and the way he held me tight like he had no plans of letting go. I glanced up to look at him, and his eyes crinkled at the edges when he smiled. He had the kind of face I could imagine gracing the front of a magazine, where I’d stare at him for hours wondering if someone so handsome could exist, not to mention the soulfulness in his eyes. Except, us standing here was real, and he looked at me with a longing that weakened my knees.
“Let’s head out,” he said. “To get some fresh air.”
Before we took a step, the world around us shimmered, then darkened. Within a heartbeat, we stood outside in the night where a soft wind buffeted against me, curling under my hair.
I looked out from the cliff’s edge, over a canyon with a river. Shadows dwelled below like night creatures, resembling the shapes of monsters. I should be terrified of what might be hiding in the shadows, but I wasn’t scared. Not in Hades’s company, despite our rocky relationship and his unpredictability. Overhead, an abundance of star clusters and galaxies stared down on us, their brightness lighting up the spectacular heavens.
“We’re in the Grand Canyon?”
“Yes.” Hades took a drink of his coffee and guided me to sit down on a rock ledge that resembled a bench. “This is as close to the beauty of Mount Olympus as I can take you. And it has a wicked view of the sky.” He pointed upward. “That’s the Milky Way, and that faint pulsing star is Mars. It’s a representation of Ares. He reminds anyone who listens to him.”
I laughed, because I could picture Ares doing that. I set my cup down near my feet and studied the star that burned a little brighter, larger than the rest. “Do you have a star?”
He chuckled and placed his cup down. “I have the whole Underworld.” His voice dripped sarcasm, but he laughed it off, and I left it at that, not wanting to discuss such dark things. Tonight shouldn’t have made me smile or laugh because my friend was still out there. And I had every intention of finding her. Now, with Hades by my side, we’d track her down in no time. I’d been drawn to the man from the moment I first met him, to enjoy this new side of him.
"See that glimmer over there, up on the right?” He leaned closer, not enough to touch me, not yet, but the hairs on my arms shifted. He pointed, and I followed the line of sight of his outstretched index finger.
"Yeah?"
"That's the prancing horse constellation.” His breath blew against my neck. My heart pounded, lunging into my throat. I tried to swallow, but my voice grew husky.
“I see it.” I breathed hard.
“When Saturn’s in the right position and you look at it sideways, the planet is seen to be riding the horse.”
