“You’re cruel,”he groans, discreetly trying to adjust himself.
“Hmm, you should probably pray for forgiveness later,”I tease.
Turning my attention back to the others, I find Morgana shaking her head at us. “Get a room – or a realm.”
“Gladl–” Sin starts, pushing away from the table, only to be interrupted by a bang as the door slams open. He stiffens as Hades swaggers into the room.
The God of Death is whole again, but I can still see a thin red line around his neck. He’s found a new set of black fighting leathers, and his hair is shorter, now slicked back from his eyes.
His icy blue eyes sweep over the room, and he looks completely at ease as he pulls up Arianna’s now vacant chair, sitting back and kicking his feet up onto the table.
A full week to recover from decapitation – that’s not bad,I mentally log.
Could I have healed him immediately following the battle?
Yes.
But I wasn’t feeling too giving after he threatened my mate.
“Would one of you kindly tell me the whereabouts of the little traitor who decided to cut off my head?” He asks the question mildly, but I don’t miss the tension that rolls through his body, or the way shadows creep up the walls.
Sin’s tattoos pulse a faint red, and the violent ambience kicks up a notch.
I take a sip from my wine, making sure the God of the Underworld knows I’m not afraid of him (mostly). “If you want to remain allies, you won’t be touching a hair on her head, or you’ll answer to me,” I finally answer.
Hades raises an unimpressed brow, and his shadows creep forward, only to spark against my own crackling, violet power.
He hesitates. “A goddess?”
He sounds duly impressed.
“Do you want to see who’s stronger now? Or are we going to act like adults and use our words?” I respond, giving him my best challenging stare.
Look at me, threatening literal gods.
I’m pretty sure I still wouldn’t be able to tell my waiter if my order at a restaurant was wrong, though.
That would just be crazy.
Sarah claps her hands. “Ouuu burn! Good one, Vivi!” She blushes when Hades glances her way, and Isaac sidles a little closer to her.
“Fine,” Hades drawls, almost sounding bored as he turns back to face me. “We can remain allies.”
“Good. See? I knew you’d eventually loosen up.” The corner of my mouth tugs up.
Hades laughs, and the tension starts to bleed away once more. Morgana updates him about how the battle ended and what’s been done over the last week. He gives her a curious look, but it’s gone a heartbeat later.
Sin joins in the conversation as they discuss the fact that Need couldn’t have pulled off imprisoning and murdering gods alone.
Hades is determined to find every person involved, and from the promises of unspeakable violence in his eyes, I’m grateful we’re on the same side.
The conversation continues for a few more minutes before Conner changes the subject, and everyone settles back into comfortable conversation. There’s laughter and banter, and even Sin laughs a few times.
The tightness around my chest eases as I finally let myself breathe.
We made it.
We survived.
