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Chapter Eighteen

Thanatos

F uck!

Wiping her forehead because sweat was already collecting over the surface, I bent over and kissed the fitful little human. Her skin seared the flesh of my lips, a fever that burned like the fires of Hell. She writhed and moaned in pain. It was like a blade to my heart every time knowing that I couldn’t do more for her.

She no longer heard or saw me, and she wouldn’t until the mark was removed, but she was thankfully not comatose yet. Unfortunately, the illness hit sooner than I expected. Perhaps the effect of my realm on her, but I couldn’t be sure. One fact remained. I was running out of time. I might be able to keep her soul here, but I couldn’t be certain it’d last if she didn’t want to stay. I couldn’t take that risk. I needed Michael to remove the mark. I needed more time to be sure she would stay. I needed more time to make her irrevocably mine.

I growled low in my throat and brushed my wild hair back in frustration. “Fucking Pest.”

The illness Zelus inflicted was torturous, and I’d be out for blood— his blood —after she was safely mine. Until then, I’d plot my revenge.

The ways I’d tear his flesh and break every fucking bone in that human body he loved so much would have the asshole begging for mercy I’d never give. I couldn’t kill him or remove his soul, not like those foul humans who attacked my little raven, but I could inflict endless torture and submerge the bastard in impenetrable darkness. What I did would make him wish he could die. I’d spend eternity tearing him apart again and again, then when I couldn’t be bothered anymore, I’d banish him to the shadows.

He'd crossed me for the very last time.

Several ravens flew in through the window, cawing their arrival. I’d summoned them to watch Asha while I was gone. They could take human form for short periods of time, but with how out of it she was with the sudden fever, she wouldn’t notice them.

It tore me apart to leave her. I’d rather keep her by my side, but Hades was more powerful than the other three Horsemen combined. Worst of all, he was unpredictable. Or as Morning Star referred to him, a moody bitch. Unless he was entertained or got something out of it, he couldn’t be bothered. Gaining his favor was difficult, but he and I shared more than most.

For whatever reason, he had a soft spot for me.

Still, should negotiations fall through, I didn’t want to worry he’d use Asha to subjugate me to his will. I couldn’t lose her to the Underworld. His realm would swallow her whole. So, I’d leave my suffering darling here with my ravens and shadows to protect her in my stead.

“Keep her comfortable. I don’t have to tell you what I'd do should anything happen to her, hmm?”

The ravens looked at each other, not used to the vicious venom I currently spat at them. I rarely took out my anger on anyone. Emotions were too…human, and they hadn’t expected to see anything close to it in my expression or dripping from the words I hissed. But they were an extension of me, so I knew they’d never fail me. They cawed their usual promise and got to work gathering things to keep her as comfortable as they could make her.

With one last fleeting glance at Asha, shadows swirled and enclosed around me, sending me straight to the Underworld. Straight to the only person I could ask for help.

A dark room rolled out and materialized in front of me. Sharp, jagged rocks grew into an endless black sky, glowing like crystals hit with light. A stretch of water reached both ends of the open cavern, serene and unmoving, but the moans of the dead echoed across the surface. White tendrils swirled and moved in a circle before disappearing into the deep, impenetrable darkness.

The souls of the abandoned, of the unfinished, of the placeless. Captives of Hades. Not the damned but close enough. Unless they were claimed, they’d stay in an endless darkness and were never permitted to reincarnate. Some may argue a fate worse than death. Destined to be nothing. Lost forever. Eternally forgotten by the realms.

I heard him before I saw him. “Little brother! I never thought I’d see that dark, emotionless face of yours again after the last time you cursed me out.”

I cringed. “An ear-lashing you deserved after stealing the souls I was meant to send to Hell.”

“Oh, Morning Star won’t miss those, will he? Why not let me play with them before he does?” he went on as if it hadn’t nearly started a war between the realms over a little prank.

Turning, I found him standing in the middle of the cavernous room, nothing but a pair of black pants on.

He’d stolen several hearts across the realms with that face of his. It didn’t matter that he’d condemned them the second they fell for his lies. People continued to fall for his terrifying charms. Every single one became his captive for eternity. Playthings condemned to his whims, and I’d seen a few powerful angels lose their wings to be with him.

He fed his boredom with the misery of others. Fed off their desperation to be adored. Not much separated him and the ruler of Hell. They were cut from the same cloth and enjoyed torturing anyone they could get their hands on. Just, Hades preferred his two-faced love approach to ensnare while Morning Star captured his victims with insurmountable fear.

Hades was a calculating bastard. I couldn’t let my guard down for a second.

Tattoos adorned his pure white skin. His blue hair floated away from his head as if we were underwater. His body was never truly solid, but he preferred a human’s shape to the beastly form he took sometimes. Like me, he could move without ever fully forming. But unlike me, he couldn’t use shadows to consume, only his wits.

His dark, soulless eyes caught mine from across the space before he was in front of me. “You’ve been naughty, haven’t you, Dead? What’s this I hear about a human you’ve marked?”

With Hades, I knew better than to give too much away. My face remained entirely lax and unreadable. “How about we skip the pleasantries, Hades, and get to the deal you’ll force me to make in exchange for Mysra’s soul. I’m sure you know why I’m here. Your little spies would’ve told you seeing how much you enjoy taunting the angels. Bet you even have one working for you.”

Hades laughed into his fist and walked a circle around me. “I forgot how clever you are. Nothing gets past you, aye, Dead? But then again, there’d be no fun in it if it did. You and I are very similar in that way. As much as you hate that we are.”

“I don’t take pleasure in the pain of the dead.”

His smile grew. “Oh, I think you do. I heard all about the five humans you sent to Morning Star before they were called. Quite the fuss you made with the demons. Not that he minded. They were all very tasty, I’m sure. Their screams will be a great addition to the chorus of the damned.”

The soul pool glowed behind him, and I was a little surprised when Mysra walked out of it without another word from Hades.

“Just a small thing, Brother, then she’s yours.”

I was instantly on guard. It was too easy. But the thought that I could save my little raven so quickly made me ask, “What is it?”

Hades was in front of me again, beckoning Mysra to his side. She came but was silent, her translucent blue-white body barely able to take form. His captive souls couldn’t speak unless he gave them permission, and I could see how the years of service had plagued her expression. He’d made her suffer a great many things, no doubt. Hades despised angels the most. He likely made her tend to the souls of the young—the worst position an angel with a compassionate countenance could be given.

“Just tell me…do you love her? Are you willing to abandon your duty as one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse to save this human?” Hades came close enough that there was hardly any space between us. I might’ve been tall to humans, but Hades was massive. So, despite how it hurt my pride, I cranked my neck just to look at the bastard.

“It might not make sense to you, but yes. I love her. I have already abandoned my duty to be here. And I would do it again if I had to. Whatever it takes.”

I hadn’t meant to tell anyone other than Asha that I loved her, that I would wreck my soulless existence to be with her, but there were two things that made Hades impossible to deal with.

First, no matter who a person was—Horseman, angel, demon, or even the ruler of Hell itself—they couldn’t lie to him. He’d know straight away. Speaking in truths was the only way to gain favor with him.

Lastly, if someone struck a bargain with the ruler of the Underworld, they were his servant until they’d honored their part. It was impossible to escape promises made with Hades, but it was the reason that I had to be clever to not agree to terms I couldn’t deliver on. Better to stay quiet and leave him to revise, but this ask was easy enough.

I did love her.

I would give up everything to be with my little raven.

To my surprise, the blue-haired nuisance smiled to himself and led Mysra straight over to me. He guided her hand to mine, a devious grin splitting his face. He didn’t ask for anything else. The moment her hand touched mine, I owned her soul.

My shadows wrapped around her wrist, keeping her my captive, but she didn’t seem happy to be leaving like I expected. I thought for sure she'd pine for Michael the same way God’s favorite yearned for her. But still, she didn’t speak. If anything, the punished soul was forlorn and devastated to be returning.

I stared at Hades in confusion. “What do you stand to gain from this?”

“More than you could ever know, little brother. But I won’t bore you with the details. That’d ruin all the fun.” Hades crossed bulky arms over his tattooed chest, his smirk containing nothing but secrets. “Oh, and consider this little tip a gift. You’re more capable than you think. I mean, you and I were created to be similar. Two peas in a pod as the humans say. There are ways to bind her to you. The same way I bind souls to me. Just something to think about when you meet with Michael.”

His words were an omen, but one I wouldn’t understand until it came to pass. He’d probably sought the advisement of the Fates to carry out whatever agenda he had for the end of the world, but I’d be stupid to think he’d share any of it with me.

Mysra’s eyes wandered over to me, and it was the first time I’d seen her do anything but look at the ground. I wondered if she knew whatever Hades stood to gain, but then again, it didn’t matter to me as long as I got to keep my little raven. If Hades was about to start a war, then I’d leave him to it. Nothing mattered but saving Asha.

I didn’t say another word.

Mysra wobbled and turned into white smoke before her soul was a little ball in my open palm. The white ball disappeared into my skin, mine to deliver. And I would deliver her. Before I could seek out Michael, a raven came flying through the sky, fluttering anxiously. Messages couldn’t be delivered across the realms, so whatever brought it over was already bad enough to put me on edge.

Hades chuckled as it cawed loudly, the sound carrying like a vicious echo in the endless space. I stiffened, the burn I’d felt in human form materializing in the body never meant to have it.

Asha was slipping into a coma.

I didn’t have time to waste.

“Looks like you’re needed elsewhere, Dead. I look forward to you going against God to save her.”

I didn’t wait for him to ramble on self-importantly. My shadows were already forming a vortex to take me to Asha so I could bring her to Michael to remove the mark. Whatever it fucking took, I’d make the angel do what she promised.

I stood with the unconscious woman in my arms and back in the same room we’d made the deal.

Michael was surprised to see us by the way she stood frozen in confusion. “That was…did you acquire Mysra’s soul, or are you here to beg for your little human’s life without honoring our bargain?”

She didn’t seem to believe I could work as quickly as I had, but I didn’t have time to argue about the details.

“I have her soul. Once you’ve removed the mark, I’ll give it to you.”

Michael’s eyes dropped to Asha’s lax form in my arms. “Mysra first—”

My voice boomed through the room with dangerous clarity. “Do it now, Michael, or I’ll send Mysra to Morning Star myself. He’s been eager to steal her away, and I have nothing left to lose if you refuse to help.”

Her body visibly stiffened before she came over, clicking her tongue. “I never thought I’d see you like this. I guess we all become something changed when we fall in love.”

I didn’t bother to respond. She was already working on the mark. Light bled out of her hand as she touched Asha’s wrist. In seconds, the mark was gone, and my pulse came to life when my little raven sucked in a surprised breath.

Asha’s eyes shot open, confused to be in my arms with Michael leaning over her. Her skin glowed with renewed health, and I couldn’t find the words. I didn’t know what to say. How could I possibly express how relieved I was to have time to convince her to be mine?

But first…

My eyes shot up, carefully helping Asha to her feet. I secured one arm around the disoriented woman for both protection and in case Michael did anything after I followed through on my part.

Asha’s eyes skipped over to my face after realizing where we were. “Is it over?”

I opened my hand, and Mysra’s soul bloomed inside my palm before snaking through the air and forming a beautiful, ethereal outline of the angel. Michael took her lover’s hand, and her body was solid again, free of the Underworld’s chains that kept her translucent and controlled.

“Now that everything is in order…” I brought Asha closer and peered down at her. She was enamored with Mysra’s angelic form, but we couldn’t stay. I didn’t want Michael to get any ideas now that our deal was finished. “We’ll take our leave.”

Michael opened her mouth, but Asha cut in, “Thank you for saving me. I know you did it because…well, just thank you.” Everyone in the room was surprised, including myself. “Than, can you take me home? I need to…the letter—I don’t want Emily to find it, and I need to make sure she’s okay.”

The desire to kiss my little raven and take her away crowded my throat, but I agreed because I knew how much she cared for Emily. Whatever she desired, I’d give her. Even if it meant I was forced to smother the urge to keep her all to myself for a little while longer.

I caught sight of Michael before the shadows consumed us. Something about her expression was off, but I didn’t pay it any mind because I finally had Asha back in my arms. I’d keep her safe until the danger was over, and then I’d convince her to return to my realm.