Page 19 of Bride of Death (Netherworld Fae #1)

Sera

It takes me a moment to remember how to breathe.

Hades’s aura, his presence , was so intense, it was suffocating.

So unlike the male from my dreams, the one that holds me and kisses me in places I’ve never experienced before.

How is this possible? I swallow. How do I even begin to reconcile my fantasies with the reality that is Hades?

“Sera,” Maliki murmurs, reminding me that he’s still here. That he witnessed everything. That he was eating popcorn while Hades dominated me with his existence alone.

But as I look at the assassin now, I don’t see his popcorn anywhere. Nor do I see any traces of amusement in his features.

“Are you all right?” The soft words sound genuine. Caring, even.

However, everything I know about Maliki makes him untrustworthy in this experience. He’s here to force me to marry Hades. To escort me. Whatever .

He works for the monster that just threatened to punish me for my soul’s betrayal. “I don’t even know what Persephone did to make him so angry,” I whisper, more to myself than to Maliki. “I don’t understand what’s happening. Why does he hate me so much? I don’t… I don’t even know him. ”

Not outside of my dreams, anyway.

Yet it doesn’t matter how many times I say it. Hades didn’t believe me at all. He just kept accusing me of playing a game.

“What did she do?” I say again, only voicing it as a question. “What did Persephone do?”

“Don’t ask me for details, as I don’t know them.

However, I know…” Maliki trails off for a moment, his gold eyes seeming to lose some of their light.

“I just know that Persephone helped her mother annihilate all of Omega kind. And how she did that had something to do with using and betraying Hades.”

I gape at him. “ What ?”

He shrugs. “As I said, I don’t know more than that.”

“But I do,” an accented voice murmurs from several paces away.

An accent that sounds like Hades, only more regal somehow. Less deep, yet still very much in charge.

“Morpheus,” I whisper.

“In the flesh,” the God of Dreams replies, his shoulder bracing against my front entry as the door hangs open. He clearly let himself in yet hasn’t stepped over the threshold. “After I’m done handling Maliki, I would be more than happy to elaborate on exactly what Persephone did to Hades.”

My eyes widen. I almost completely forgot what Maliki had done to Morpheus with the slug venom outside.

It’s like Hades wiped my memory the moment he arrived, grounding me solely in the reality of his dominance and commanding presence.

One of the final things he told me was to stay away from Morpheus.

“Don’t earn a worse punishment for yourself by making poor decisions.”

I shiver, Hades’s threat haunting my mind. He was angry. So, so angry. I could feel it in every breath I took in his presence, the fury pouring off him in hot waves that threatened to drown me.

“Sera,” Maliki says, his serious tone pulling me from my thoughts. “As furious as Hades may be at your soul, he will never hurt you.”

I swallow, unnerved by how well he seems to have read my mind.

Or maybe his comment is a response to my trembling.

I… I can’t seem to stop.

Actually, I’m pretty sure it’s getting worse.

My soul helped someone annihilate all of Omega kind.

How does one reconcile that?

Can I even proclaim my innocence? I wasn’t there. I didn’t do it. And yet, I possess the spirit responsible for the crime.

Which is why Hades plans to punish me.

How? What will he do?

“Serapina,” Morpheus murmurs, a strange sort of vibration underlining his accented voice. It continues long after he speaks, the sound seeming to seep into my skin to soothe my quivering.

It’s… it’s so hypnotic. Strangely comforting. A rhythmic hum I feel through every inch of my being.

My eyes begin to close, only to open when I feel a hand on my arm. Maliki stares down at me, concern etched into his features. “Hades is a stubborn asshole,” he tells me. “But I meant what I said—he won’t hurt you. It’s not in his nature to do so.”

“He’s right,” Morpheus says, that alluring vibration growing as he nears me. “Alphas are driven to comfort and protect Omegas, not harm them.”

The reverberations seem to be emanating from his chest. “What is that humming noise?” I ask, a bit dazed by the conflicting sensations rolling through me.

I’m horrified by what Maliki told me about Persephone.

Terrified by what Hades intends to do to me.

And comforted by that hypnotic rumble.

“It’s an Alpha purr,” Morpheus replies. “Omegas are innately calmed by it.”

I shudder as the hum intensifies, his nearness making my knees weak.

Or maybe that’s Maliki’s hand rubbing up and down my arm.

He’s still shirtless. And Morpheus is wearing what appears to be a freshly pressed suit, suggesting he changed after the whole slug venom incident.

Regardless, their wardrobe choices are not helping my nerves. Nor is their close proximity.

Something about their nearness is making me… hot.

Only, that purr is calming me down, too.

It leaves me conflicted. Dizzy. Disoriented. And strangely secure.

I feel safe.

Which is insane given what I’ve learned tonight. Who I’ve met.

Hades.

The figment from my dreams.

The only man to ever truly touch me. And it wasn’t even real. Just a series of dreams.

Dreams that I wonder now if he somehow manifested.

Or did he ask Morpheus to do it for him? I wonder, blinking. Is that why he doesn’t want me talking to the God of Dreams?

A chill runs down my spine, only to be chased away by the Alpha purr emanating all around me.

But the thought remains, the realization that I can’t trust anyone pulling me out of this false comfort. “Do you manipulate my dreams?” I ask Morpheus, my voice drowsier than I desire. But at least the question came out clearly.

“Manipulate?” Morpheus repeats, his silver eyebrows angling downward. “In what way?”

“To make me dream of Hades,” I say.

He scoffs. “I would never make you dream of Hades unless it was a fantasy about stabbing him.” His arms cross. “Did he accuse me of playing in your mind, Serapina? Because I can promise that if I had, you would have recognized more than just my name yesterday.”

Heat creeps up my neck at the insinuation in his tone. “Have you seen my dreams?” It’s a question I meant to think mentally, yet the words sort of trip out of my mouth.

Because if he’s watched my dreams, then he knows how intimate I’ve been with Hades in them.

Morpheus studies me for a moment, his blue-green eyes glinting in the low lighting of my home.

“I’ve witnessed pieces of them, yes. I’m always aware when you dream because our souls are connected, similar to how you are linked to Hades.

However, I try to respect your privacy by not prying and leaving the moment I’m pulled to you. ”

I stare at him, unsure if I can believe anything he’s telling me.

But that purr makes me want to trust every word.

It’s a dangerous vibration, one that lulls me into an artificial state of comfort. I can see through it, yet I can’t seem to truly battle the need to simply relax. “Your Alpha purr is hypnotizing me, just like Maliki’s tattoos.”

Morpheus glances at the other man, his eyebrow lifting. “You’ve introduced her to your smoky tendrils? And you didn’t invite me to watch?” He tsks. “I thought we were friends, Maliki.”

The assassin grunts. “Did you think that when torturing me in that dream yesterday?”

My brow furrows. “What dream?”

“The one he yanked me into so he could frolic with you in the park.”

“We did not frolic,” Morpheus interjects. “We simply discussed Human Realm roses. Which reminds me”—his focus returns to me—“I see you received the pot from Pip. Good. I’ll have a proper lamp brought in tomorrow.”

“Who is Pip?” Maliki demands before I can even reply. “Is he one of your Ghouls or Strigoi? Is that why I don’t recognize the name?”

Morpheus chuckles. “No, he’s not part of my kingdom. He’s very much a Netherworld creature.”

Maliki frowns.

Clearing my throat, I say, “Thank you for the pot. And the seeds. But please don’t scare shopkeepers on my behalf again.”

The God of Dreams gives me a smile that befits his title. “As you wish, little dreamer. Any other requests?”

“Can you stop purring?” I ask.

His smile slips a little, but the vibrations instantly cease. “Better?”

No , I think, immediately missing the soothing sound. Yet I force myself to nod because I want my brain back. These two males are distracting me. And I’m liking it a little too much.

I take a step back from them, causing Maliki’s hand to drop.

Unfortunately, the action does nothing to dispel the dizzy sensation in my head. If anything, it gets worse as both men stare at me intently.

“What else do you desire?” Morpheus asks me. “More information on Persephone? Answers to other questions? Perhaps a lesson on Mythos Fae?”

I consider the options he’s just provided. For some reason, that last offer feels the safest. I already know a lot about Mythos Fae from Alina. So this could be a nice way to test Morpheus’s sincerity. If I catch him in a lie, then I’ll know everything else he’s said can’t be trusted.

And besides, Hades told me not to talk to Morpheus.

Doing the opposite feels like a good way to rebel.

“A lesson on Mythos Fae would be nice,” I tell him.

His lips curl. “All right.” He looks at Maliki. “Are you tagging along or staying here?”

“Tagging along to where?” Maliki asks, suspicion lacing his tone.

The God of Dreams shrugs. “Does it matter? Either you maintain your protective detail, or you don’t. The choice is yours.”

Maliki narrows his gaze. “You are not?—”

“Five seconds,” Morpheus interjects.

“Um,” I start.

But Maliki growls, “No, Morpheus.”

“Four seconds,” the God of Dreams returns. “You may want to grab a shirt and shoes. Three seconds.”

Maliki grabs Morpheus by the throat.

And the God of Dreams takes hold of my hand. “Excellent choice, Enforcer,” he mouths.

Maliki’s eyes widen at the same time mine do, and the world begins to spin.

Oh, fae…

Maybe I should have gone with another option after all.