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“After I lost you the last time, I also lost all hope of ever finding you again.

I grew so furious that I couldn't rest. All I could think about was how Hades tormented us. I wanted revenge. It consumed me. I admit that I . . . I have done some terrible things to get my revenge. I even came close to marrying someone for her power.” He cleared his throat and added, “Without her consent.”

I lifted my brows.

“Yes, I know. Looking back, I am overcome with humiliation. With no hope of ever being with you again, I became a different man, Saliha. Bitter. Vicious. I became a villain because all I had to live for was vengeance.”

“You wanted vengeance against Hades, so you attacked his Hounds?”

“I didn't, actually.” He smiled, and it was as if the sun smiled through him.

Son of Apollo. Right. Wow.

“But you're Silas. The Host is your army, right?”

“It is, but I didn't create it. A spirit who called himself Michael organized the Host. I came across him while watching the Hounds, trying to find a way to hurt Hades.

And there he was. It was fate. I knew as soon as I learned of Michael's plans that it was the perfect path to justice.

Attacking the Hounds would gain Hades's attention. And if my army started to win, he would be forced to enter the fight.”

“So you don't care about the Hounds?”

“No. They're just pawns. The Gods don't come to Earth often, and not many know the true reason why.

The Olympians tell the lesser gods it's because they need to stay out of the path of human progress—that humanity grows better without relying on gods.

But that's only partially true. The real reason the Olympians don't want gods on Earth is because they're weaker here.”

“Shouldn't they warn the other gods?”

“They're worried that the lesser gods would lure them to Earth to even the playing field and challenge them.

My father told me this. So, I knew that the only way for me to kill Hades would be to bring him to Earth.

I think a part of me still hoped that with Hades gone, you could be reborn, and I would find you.

You'd be safe.” He shook his head. “Then Hades changed the game. He brought you back himself and put you here—the very city where you lived in your last life. I could hardly believe it when I happened upon you in that bar.”

“The bar,” I murmured. “You were hidden under magic.”

“Yes. My Silas guise. I'm not sure why, but it seemed to scare you. I knew then that I had to approach you in the form I had used the first time we met. The body closest to my real one.”

“You set me up. That whole accident was a sham.”

“I needed an introduction.” Ace shrugged. “And I knew I had to get to you before the local Cerberus.”

“How did you know about them?”

“I was watching you. I saw everything. Your run-ins with the hounds, how they started watching you, and your rebellion.” He grinned. “You knew you didn't belong with them. And I knew I had to save you from them.”

“Ace, I—”

“Saliha, from the moment I saw you in that bar, everything changed.” Ace grimaced.

“No doubt that was part of Hades's plan, but I didn't care. All that mattered was that you were back. We had another chance. Vengeance was no longer my goal. Hope took its place. I returned to myself. I could think clearly again. And I came up with a new plan. This time would be different. Hades himself had ensured it.”

“Do you think he did all this so he wouldn't have to kill me?”

“Sweetheart, Hades doesn't give a shit about you. Killing you has never bothered him. But I do think he decided to change tactics. I admit, it was a brilliant plan. Bring you back and bind you to his children.” Ace shook his head. “It would have kept you from me forever. No more chances.”

“Forever,” I whispered. “Holy shit.”

“Yes. That's how diabolical the God of the Underworld is. This was his endgame. As soon as you mated a Cerberus, he would have won.”

“But I still don't understand why he'd want to do this to us.”

“I believe he coveted you for himself.”

“What?”

“I think Hades tried to seduce you. All the big gods do it. They take human form and seduce humans. It's a game for them, but it often backfires and they fall in love with the human. It's happened to my father a few times. One, in particular, he never got over.”

“And then what happens? I mean, if a human becomes the lover of a god, what happens?”

“The human eventually dies.” Ace shrugged. “But they get reborn, and if a god loves a human enough, they can find that soul in their next life. As I have found you.” He made an amazed sound. “Actually, this time, I didn't look for you. You found me.”

“You searched for me in every life.” It wasn't a question, just my way of processing what was happening. Ace—Asclepius—loved me enough to look for my reborn soul in every new life and then go against the God of the Dead for me. It kind of put the hounds to shame.

The Hounds of Hades. Their faces swam through my mind and those images made my heart shudder. I immediately felt guilty. I shouldn't have been feeling anything for them. Not after hearing about how I was tricked into being their mate. Or how Ace loved me far more than they did.

Ouch. Why did that thought cut me so deeply?

“Saliha, I think Hades tried to seduce you, but you rejected him.” Ace's expression went from furious to gentle as he went on, “I know from personal experience how much work it takes to woo you.”

“Ace,” I whispered. Then I shook my head. “I'm sorry. I should call you by your real name.”

“I have many names, just as you do. Call me whatever you wish.” Ace stepped closer slowly. A foot separated us. Then less. “What would you like to be called?”

“Salina. I'm starting over.”

“Then we shall be Ace and Salina.” His smile went hesitant. “If you'll have me.”

In answer, I hugged him. What else could I do?

I wasn't ready for a kiss yet. I was too fresh from my hounds.

I mean, the Hounds. They weren't mine. I was never meant to be theirs.

Hades had tricked me and Fate. And I hated to admit how crushing that was.

I'd only just accepted that we'd be wonderful together.

That they wanted me for me, not just because I was their mate.

Then the whole mate thing shifted, becoming something beautiful.

Destiny seemed to be on my side for once.

Until it wasn't.

But I had Ace—a man who had defied an Olympian and time itself for me. Searching through the centuries, he had finally found me before Hades had killed me. No, that wasn't the plan this time. He was going to bind me to a Cerberus. Ace had saved me before that could happen.

Fuck. Hades. I didn't buy the failed seduction theory. It didn't make sense. If Hades wanted me so much, why hurt me? And why mate me to his children? That felt weird. No, this wasn't about love; it was about hate. He detested me. Truly and deeply. But why? What had I ever . . .

An image came to me as if my thoughts had summoned it.

As if? What am I saying? Of course, my thoughts had summoned it.

That's how memories work, isn't it? That's how they'd been working with me.

You think about them and there they are.

So, thinking about why Hades hated me brought forth a memory that answered my question.

Sort of. It felt like an answer, but it, like many of the memories floating around my head, was just a bunch of feelings and pictures without subtitles to explain them.

That must be the difference between memories of a current life and those of past lives. This one was nice at first.

My lover was above me. Inside me. Filling me with flesh, pleasure, and his love.

He was magnificent. So many wanted him, but he had chosen me.

He had vowed his love to me alone. I was blissful, even lying on a simple blanket in the grass, the shade of a cypress tree speckling our skin.

I clung to his broad back as he thrust deeply, over and over, whispering beautiful things in my ear and kissing my throat.

Mine. He was all mine. Amid the pleasure, triumph rose. I had won.

And then a shadow blocked out the sun.

I looked up into a pair of burning eyes full of hatred. I couldn't see much more than that stare. The sun was behind him, creating a burning halo that cast the rest of him into darkness. Terrible darkness.

I screamed.

My lover stopped. Looked over his shoulder. Shoved himself up to confront this interloper. But he lasted only a moment before he went tumbling aside, crying out. Then a hand grabbed my throat.

The pain in the memory launched me back into the present, cutting the images short. Probably for the best.

I jerked back, out of Ace's arms.

“What is it?” Ace asked.

“I don't think Saliha was my first life,” I said.

“Did you remember something from before it?”

“Yes. I . . . I think I lived in ancient Greece.”

“The first playground of the Gods.”

“Was it?”

“Yes. They were everywhere, of course. All over the world. But Greece was where their favorite humans were. They could be themselves around the Greeks.” He paused. “What did you remember?”

“I was with someone. I don't think it was you.”

“We didn't meet until you were Saliha. It couldn't have been me.”

“Well, I was having sex with a man and a god appeared. He killed both of us.”

“Both of you?” Ace frowned. “Do you remember who he hurt more? Or did he kill you both immediately?”

“He, uh . . . he knocked aside my lover, and then I think he tortured me.”

“And made your lover watch?” Ace's eyes went wide.

“I don't know. The memory ended before I could see what happened.”

“So, that's where it began. What do you remember of the god?”

“He was backlit by the sun so I didn't see his face. Only his eyes. They were glowing.”

“That happens to a lot of gods when they use their magic.” He shrugged.

“But it had to be Hades. He must have coveted you, and you went to this other man.

You rejected Hades, just as I suspected.

Only, it didn't start with you and me.” Ace's lips pressed together.

“I wonder if he's been hunting that man through his lives as well.”

“But what has it got to do with you?” I asked.

“Probably nothing more than my being a god. I could have brought you back from death and thwarted him.”

“Why didn't you?”

“I'm a healer, mostly. To bring back the dead, they must be freshly dead. If the soul has left, it's too late. I cannot summon souls back from the Underworld. And every time I've found you, it's been too late.”

“Oh. I see,” I murmured. Something still bothered me. Maybe I just needed time to process.

“Salina.” Ace took my hand. “I'm sorry this has been so hard on you. But we're together now. You're in my territory, in Olympus. You'll be safe here. Only my father is allowed past my ward.”

“Your . . . Olympus? As in the big mountain?”

“It's not a mountain. It's a realm, separate from the one Earth is a part of.”

“You took me to another realm?”

“It was the only way to keep you away from Hades. Or him away from you, rather.”

I swayed.

Ace picked me up. “It's going to be all right now. Hades has given you an immortal body. So, you can stay here with me forever. His plan has backfired.”

Fear blasted through me. It was ridiculous. Why was I afraid of spending forever with Ace? He loved me. He had proven that. And he was easy on the eyes too. So, why was I still thinking about a trio of shapeshifting, magical men?

Hades had sure done a job on me. Would he succeed in tearing Ace and me apart, even after I knew the truth? Now, that would be something.

Ace set me down on a silken lounge beside the fountain. Bruno was dozing at the end of it. After settling me, he picked up a chalice from the fountain's rim, filled it with water, and handed it to me.

“Here. This will help.”

“Water?” I took the cup.

“That is the Fountain of Youth.” Ace nodded to the fountain. “The source of those myths, at least. Here, it is simply my fountain. Its water is charged with my magic. It will refresh you in many ways.” He chuckled. “Bruno loves it.”

“Oh. Thank you.” I took a sip.

The water seeped through me even as I swallowed it.

Merging with my flesh and blood, it shocked me in the best way.

Cool, effervescent magic surged through me, refreshing me, just as Ace said it would.

I felt steady in an instant, my mind clear.

But that clarity didn't include my feelings toward Ace.

If anything, it made them even more muddled while all those emotions I shouldn't have felt for Jake, Cyrus, and Lex became stronger.

And something rose with those feelings. Something shiny.

I wanted to shriek.

“You've had a rough day.” Ace took the cup from me. “Why don't you relax while I fetch us something to eat? What would you like? Anything at all. I can go anywhere in the world and get you whatever you desire.”

I chuckled. “That's quite an offer. Uh. I don't know. What's your favorite food?”

“I'm partial to Greek.” He shrugged. “It's what I was raised on.”

“But aren't you a god?”

“My mother was mortal. Remember, I told you about my father falling in love with mortals. She was one of them.”

“Oh. Okay. Uh, yeah. I like Greek food. That sounds good.”

“I will get us a Greek feast!” Ace jumped to his feet.

“It's a celebration after all.” He snatched my hand and kissed it.

“I can hardly believe that I have you here, safe, at last. And don't worry.

I know you need some time to understand all of this.

I won't pressure you.” He grinned broadly.

“We have eternity now. We can fall in love all over again.”

“That sounds . . . wonderful.”

“I'll be back soon.” He looked at the puppy. “Bruno, look after our girl.”

Bruno woofed, then went back to sleep. Not exactly a Hound of Hades.

Ugh! I had to stop thinking about them. Why is it that knowing you can't have a man, or men, makes you want them even more?

Yes, that's it, I thought as I watched Ace leave the bedroom. It's simply that I know I'm not their mate. I'm not destined to be with them. So, now, my contrary heart wants them. That's all it is. It has nothing to do with love.

But the ache in my chest disagreed.