Page 47 of Bride of Death

“I will,” he agrees. “But you’re wrong about your opinions. They matter a great deal to me.”

I scoff at that. “If that were true, then this wouldn’t be your first time visiting me here in the Netherworld Village.”

One dark eyebrow wings upward. “Who says this is the first time?” He glances around. “Besides, there isn’t much to see here. The accommodations are rather drab.”

“Tank isn’t fond of interior decorating,” I deadpan.

“Tank?”

“The Death Fae I had to bribe so I could watch your mate,” I mutter, finally taking a step away from him as exhaustion starts to creep in. I won’t be able to sleep—thanks, Morpheus—but I can at least relax.

Stepping around him, I take over the love seat.

Hades remains standing but rotates toward me, his gaze assessing. “Are you disliking this assignment?” he asks after another beat of silence.

I pick up the controller from the table beside me and aim it at the painting across from the couch. The flowery facade melts away to reveal a screen that has access to channels in various realms throughout the universe.

Naturally, I select the Human Realm. Their assassin movies are the best in all the worlds, mostly because they don’t shy away from the blood and gore.

Hades shifts again, glancing at the screen and rolling his eyes. “Can you at least answer my question before the shooting starts?”

“I’m still considering my answer,” I tell him, my focus going to the screen as the movie opens. “I like Sera.” That’s anunderstatement. I’m pretty sure I more than like her, but I don’t really want to get into that right now. “Protecting her isn’t an issue.”

“Then what is the issue?” he presses.

“You already know the answer to that,my lord.” Well-timed bullets are fired from a gun while I utter that formal address, making my lips curl a bit.

Fitting,I think.

Then, out loud, I add, “If you want to marry her, you’re going to have put forth more effort. If you don’t believe me, ask me what happened in the Den tonight.”

I doubt he’s heard the news yet; he rarely converses with anyone outside of his palace walls.

An explosion sounds from the speakers embedded in the wall, causing me to turn the volume down. I don’t want to risk startling Sera with my movie obsession.

“Tell me,” Hades demands.

I meet his simmering gaze and say, “She announced to the entire Den that she is not mating you. When she used your name, they warned her you might appear, so she started shouting it.” Which I found hilarious as fuck. But I don’t add that part out loud. It’s not needed. My enjoyment is absolutely evident in my tone.

I go on to tell him how the patrons drank themselves into a stupor because she insisted on working and demanded they all order drinks, not realizing they would take her words as an order, not a request.

And how she eventually released the poor sods from their plight once she understood what she’d done.

“Did she see the invitation?” he asks quietly, causing me to arch a brow.

“Yes. Why?”

“How did she react to it?” His soft tone suggests this question is important to him.

So I answer him bluntly. “By stating that she doesn’t have a middle name and telling everyone she’s not mating you.”

His lips curl down. “No hint of recognition?”

“Well, I think she recognized your name, if that’s what you mean. But otherwise, no. She was… I think she was mad. Or maybe fed up?” I shrug, my attention drifting back to the screen. “Whatever the emotion, it was hot. She certainly reminded me of a queen.” Which Gnarls called her at one point—yet another amusing moment from the night.

“You’re enjoying this,” Hades remarks.

“I told you, I like Sera. So the assignment of guarding her is fine. The task of convincing her to marry you, though, fucking sucks.”