Hades shoulders seem to become taut with tension as his wife takes his hand with a squeeze.
“Ah, here they are.” Persephone says loudly as pink tinted drinks arrive in clear martini style glasses.
I grab my glass in my hands noting three tiny red seeds gathered at the bottom. I swirl the decadent looking glass and bring the liquid to my lips.
CHAPTER9
Chapter Nine
GARRISON
SONG: UNDER PRESSURE BY MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, THE USED
I’ve felt unsettled all evening. Knowing that the sins are out here, and not knowing why is churning inside my twisted stomach. I don’t have much of an appetite, although the food looks delicious. I haven’t seen one pomegranate, and I should have known Greed was completely full of shit.
I look over at Salem, her nerves palpable but still she looks fucking stunning. Her black hair is twisted in an elaborate braid, while her dress hugs her generous curves. I’d give anything to stick my head between her breasts. I’d happily suffocate in those things if I could just get a taste. I find myself licking my lips at the thought of it and adjust my pants that have suddenly become a little too tight.
They bring out another plate and take away my untouched one.
“Dude, why aren’t you eating?” Emmet asks, swallowing down a bite of what looks like chicken, or maybe duck. Do they have chickens in Hell? For all I know that could be a cooked demon’s leg that he’s tearing into. The thought makes my already squeamish stomach feel even more precarious.
“Greed came to visit me in my room.”
Emmet, surprised, starts choking on his ‘demon duck’ leg. He takes a sip of water, before turning to face me.
“What the fuck? I thought they were locked up?” He whisper-screams, eyes darting around the room like the sins are about to jump out from the shadows at any moment.
“I thought so too. Until he waltzed into my room warning me about pomegranates.”
“Pomegranates?”
“Yeah, he said not to eat any, so naturally I took his words with a grain of salt, but I haven’t seen any… “
My sentence trails off as a servant reaches around me and goes to set a sickly pink drink in front of me. As the martini glass passes me, my eyes catch onto a cluster of tiny red seeds congregated on the bottom.
“Oh, fuck.” I say, recognizing the small unassuming fruit immediately. “Pomegranates.” I say to Emmet, who’s also been presented with the same drink. I look down the table and realize that we all have been given the same drink. Salem goes to take a sip, when Emmet jumps out of his seat, catching Salem’s gaze. She frowns but doesn’t stop the cup’s assent.
He won’t make it over to her in time, Fuck. I wish I had gotten a moment to talk to everyone before we were seated for dinner. I stand as well, lifting the pink drink into the air while hitting the side of the glass with a fork that looks ironically like a tiny pitchfork. The noise commands the attention of everyone, and I feel heat crawl up into my face. “I would like to make a toast.” I say, my voice coming out tight, but the room at least is receptive to my announcement, raising their own glasses. “To Hades and Salem.” I say trying to draw out the time so Emmet can warn Salem in time. My heart rate increases as sweat beads across my brow. “May this reunion be everything you’ve ever dreamed of.”
I catch Hades staring straight at me, his lips pursed, his expression unreadable. “Thank you.” He says, lifting his goblet. I note the deliberate choice in drink.
Emmet is just reaching Salem, Walker trying to interfere. I’ve never had the desire to chuck a fucking chicken bone at someone until right now, but I stop myself from picking it up and following through with my intrusive thought. Trusting that Emmet will put a stop to Salem drinking poison or whatever is contained in these things. Walker gets out of Emmet’s way as we all watch Salem take a swig of the drink. I hold my breath, bracing myself for her to keel over immediately. The eyes of the room are still trained on me waiting, I realize, for me to take a drink and finish the toast.
I raise the glass to my lips, the pink liquid sloshing up to greet my lips. Well, I’m not leaving Salem alone to this fate. I let the drink past my teeth, coating my tongue in a sugary-sweet nectar before gulping it down.
I wait to feel something, remembering the night of initiation when the potion burned us from the inside out. But I feel nothing. Not a sudden pain, not a jolt of heat, not even a hint of indigestion.
I chide myself for getting riled up by that fucker, Greed, ashamed I believed him for even a second.
When I sit back down, I notice Persephone staring right at me with a gleeful smirk before tipping her glass at me and taking her own drink.
CHAPTER10
Chapter Ten
SALEM
SONG: DIAL TONE BY CATCH YOUR BREATH
