Page 10 of Bride of Death (Netherworld Fae #1)

But in the next breath, I already understand. Morpheus . He’s the God of Dreams and seems to think he has a claim on Sera as well. Fucking meddler .

“Yeah, it’s what he…” She trails off and shakes her head. “Never mind that. You said Hades thinks I remember everything… everything being what?”

“Your history together,” I say vaguely.

“As… as this Persephone?”

I nod. “Yes.”

She frowns. “But I don’t remember anything.”

“As already stated, I suspect that’s true.”

“There’s nothing to suspect. It is true,” she insists. “You have to tell him that. And tell him I don’t want to marry him, too.”

“Okay, I don’t have to tell him anything,” I correct her. “But if you ask me nicely, I will think about sharing those two points with him.”

She scowls. “Or you can just tell him to come here so I can inform him to his face.” Her cheeks flush a little more, telling me she’s getting angry.

“Who does this guy think he is, demanding I marry him because he thinks I remember him? Yet he doesn’t feel the need to come meet me himself? ” She scoffs. “Some Alpha he is.”

My eyebrows lift. “Shall I give him that information, too?”

“Sure,” she says, all sassy-like. “Maybe it’ll make him come talk to me himself instead of sending his enforcer to do it all for him.” She pushes away from the table, her gaze narrowing. “If he wants me to marry him, he’ll have to come to me himself. And even then, I’ll still be saying no.”

She starts for the door, then pauses as she reaches the threshold.

“Thank you for breakfast.” The words sound stilted, but it’s kind of cute that she felt the need to say them.

“Anytime, trouble,” I tell her. “But, uh, you might want to stay over here for a few?—”

She’s out the door before I can conclude my statements with more minutes .

I sigh and set the dish down that I was in the middle of washing, then trail after her just in time to hear another one of her now-infamous shrieks.

When I meet her at the entrance to her hut, I find Jerry standing with his hands up in the middle of her kitchen. “S-sorry, ma’am.” The stutter sounds a little strange given his deep, gravelly voice. “I’m, uh, almost done with the repairs.”

“Repairs?” she repeats, gaping at him.

“I asked him to come over and magic up the place,” I explain, my shoulder meeting the wall as I casually lean against it and observe her reaction. “I thought it would be faster and easier than trying to replace everything.”

She blinks, then gapes as Jerry uses a wand to remove all the scorch marks. The scent disappears next.

“What… what is he?” she asks in a loud whisper.

“A Midnight Fae,” I muse. “Well, part Midnight Fae, anyway. The Death Bloods and the Death Fae like to play, hence the reason Tank is off with his lover in the Midnight Fae Realm right now.”

Jerry grunts in response, causing my lips to twitch.

“Tank and Jerry have history,” I stage-whisper.

“Currently doing you a favor, Ghost,” Jerry reminds me. “Could easily charge you more.”

“But then I wouldn’t pass on your name to Hades,” I return. “And that would be a shame, yeah?”

The male glances around nervously, like he expects the God of Death to appear.

It’s a stupid superstition. I fucking wish it was that easy to make Hades come anywhere. It would make some tasks so much easier if it did.

Jerry clenches his jaw and quickly finishes his job while Sera observes, her lips parting in awe. Leaning forward, I press my lips near her ear and whisper, “Don’t let Hades see you staring at another male like that, or he’ll make me kill the poor soul.”

She jumps and stares at me. “You will not.”

“You’re right. I probably won’t. But Hades sure as Styx will.” I return to my position by the wall as I add, “You’ve met Reaper, right?”

She nods, then her eyes round as she no doubt understands where I’m going. “He’s psychotic.”

“He’s brilliant,” I correct her. “And I’m sure you know what he would do if he caught your sister looking at a male outside of their mate-circle. Or at least what he would do if that male looked back.”

“He’d make a bouquet out of their bones,” Sera mutters, shuddering.

I don’t have the same reaction, as I find the gift more amusing and appropriate than grotesque. “That would be one hell of a present.”

She gives me a look. “You Death Fae are strange.”

“Not a Death Fae,” I inform her. “My mom is a Corpse Fae Royal. My father is the mixed one, but no Death Fae in him as far as I know.” Not that I know him well. And he’s not exactly around for me to question, either. “Anyway, I need to get some things done before your shift later. You good?”

Her long lashes flutter. “You’re coming with me to work?” It’s voiced as a question, but the wary resignation tells me she already knows the answer.

Which means she was listening to me earlier.

Good girl , I think.

Out loud, I say, “I wouldn’t miss it.” I take a step back toward my temporary home and pause.

“Actually, I can’t miss it, and not just because I’m on guard duty, but because the nuptial invitations are going out today.

You’re going to be a popular female tonight, Serapina Everheart. ” I smile. “Good luck, trouble.”

Her lips part, her eyebrows hitting her hairline.

So, naturally, I shadow back to my kitchen instead of walking.

And smirk when I hear her growl, “ Thorns .”

It’s such a cute little curse.

Perhaps one of these days, I’ll give her a rose just for fun. Hades can’t fault me for a gift, right?

Oh, who am I kidding? Of course he can. He’s a God. He can do whatever the fuck he wants.

Including breaking Sera, I think, frowning.

It’s a thought I’ve had often over the last few months, and it’s grown increasingly troubling.

Because I don’t think Sera has earned his wrath. Yet whenever I broach the topic of her innocence, he scoffs.

I shake my head, clearing it.

Not my fate. Not my business. Not my female.

I’ll guard her.

Convince her to go willingly to Hades.

And be done with this task.

For good.