Page 35 of Bride of Death (Netherworld Fae #1)

Sera

I stare at myself in the full-length mirror of my closet.

About an hour ago, I received a note telling me that Hades would be here in sixty minutes to escort me to dinner. I don’t know who wrote it, just that it appeared shortly after Morpheus left. I saw it on the table next to my pot and the gift bag Pip brought in for me.

After setting up the plant light, I went to shower and prepare myself for dinner.

And now I’m wondering if Morpheus’s idea to make Hades beg is a good or a bad idea.

Because this dress is… revealing. I don’t think I’ve ever worn something so risqué. The gown is backless, and the V-neck exposes a lot more of my breasts than I’m used to.

And the slit up my left leg… yeah, that’s going to be dangerous for sitting.

Plus the shoes—which I’m holding in my hand—are probably going to make me fall.

Chewing on my lip, I consider changing. There are a lot of other options in the closet. There’s no reason I need to wear this specific gown, right?

The fact that Hades picked it out for me should actually make me not want to wear it. However, Morpheus’s words fueled something inside me that forced me to at least try the dress on.

And now I’m regretting it.

“Yeah, I’m totally going to change,” I tell my reflection.

“Why? Does the gown not fit?” a deep voice asks, making me jump backward and right into a hard, masculine wall.

Spinning around, I gape at Hades’s large presence in my closet. “Where?” I sputter out. “How?” I clear my throat. “Do you not know how to knock?” I demand.

He frowns down at me. “I did.”

“What?”

“I knocked on your door, and when you didn’t answer, I came looking for you.” He glances over his shoulder. “Well, first I met Pip. Then I came looking for you.”

My eyes widen, the shoes dropping to the ground with a loud thud—one that rivals my racing pulse. “ Pip. ” I rush around Hades, my heart in my throat. “Pip!”

He floats into view, his blue eyes large as he looks around for whatever has me so concerned.

“You’re okay,” I whisper, falling to my knees in relief. “Oh, fae, you’re… you’re still here.”

My little friend creeps closer and lowers himself into my view.

If I could hug him, I would.

“I thought you might be gone,” I tell him, recalling what Maliki said about the pits. “I would never forgive myself if something happened to you… because of me.”

“Why would something happen to him?” Hades asks, a note of irritation in his tone. “Has someone threatened your familiar?”

I blink at Pip, then slowly look back at Hades. “My familiar?”

“Yes. Or he’s something to you, anyway. That’s why my wards let him through. You’re bonded.” He shrugs. “ Familiar is the best term for now. But tell me why you thought he was gone.”

I stare at him and swallow. “I… You said you met him. I thought you may have hurt him.” Fae, I sound ridiculous. Like a weakling.

I hate this.

I don’t want to be meek.

But I feel so lost.

Morpheus helped put some things into perspective. Perhaps Persephone’s intentions came from a good place, so she’s not as evil as I once believed. However, she still caused so much pain.

And the only way to right those wrongs is to remember what really happened.

Which means embracing my Omega soul.

I only wish I knew how to do that. And I really wish I knew how to make Hades stop hating me.

Because the Hades in my dreams…

My shoulders fall. I don’t even want to compare them now.

The reality is nothing like my fantasies.

Pip glides away as Hades approaches. I can’t hear him, but I can feel him, his aura so dark and angry that everyone can probably sense his presence.

“Serapina,” he murmurs as he crouches in front of me.

I startle, his use of my real name causing me to glance up at him.

“I would never harm a creature that’s bonded to my soulmate,” he tells me. “The moment I felt him cross the wards, I accepted him. But even if the wards had rejected him, I still would have re-spelled the barrier to grant him entry because Maliki said you personally requested his presence here.”

Each word is delivered with quiet precision, his patient tone unlike anything I’ve heard from him until now.

It renders me speechless.

Because I don’t know how to interpret this side of Hades. Why is he being so nice to me?

“And as much as I love when an Omega kneels for me, this is neither the time nor the place.” He holds out his hand. “Please stand.”

Every part of me shivers at his request, his silky tone caressing me in a way I don’t quite understand. I lift my palm to his before I even realize what I’m doing, like my body is designed to obey his.

He pulls me up, his strength seeming to bleed into my skin through that simple touch alone. I shudder, my eyes nearly falling closed as a hum of electricity thrums through my veins.

Fae, I’ve never felt anything like this.

I almost weep when the sensation disappears, his hand dropping to his side.

“How would you feel about having dinner here instead?” He gestures toward the dining table—which is a lot bigger than the one from my place in the village. “We can also invite Maliki.”

“I…” I nearly close my eyes in frustration at my hoarse voice.

Morpheus says Omegas are Goddesses. I’ve heard Orcus say that about Alina, too.

So how do I become one?

By not being meek in front of the God of Death might be a good start , I tell myself.

But I’m definitely not off to a great start tonight.

I give myself a mental shake and force myself to meet Hades’s dark gaze. “Eating here is fine. And if Maliki is hungry, then invite him.”

Hades nods.

And disappears.

I blow out a breath and grab the sides of my head. “You’re doing really great, Sera,” I chastise myself. “Super great.”

Spinning back around, I return to my closet to find something more comfortable to wear.

But then I recall Hades’s outfit. A suit .

All black.

Sexy .

Gritting my teeth, I search for my discarded shoes instead and pluck them up off the floor.

Pip watches as I return to the living area, his movements curious as I sit down and start trying to figure out the straps.

Naturally, Hades returns while I’m in the process of trying to put on the ridiculous heels. His gaze runs over me in interest. “The food will be here soon. As will Maliki.”

I nod, pretending to care, and try to tighten the strap on my right foot.

When it looks secure enough, I switch to the left, only to have the shoe taken from my hands as Hades goes down on one knee before me. He sets the heel on the floor and picks up the one I already fastened, then places it on his thigh to inspect it.

My heart skips a beat as he undoes my work and gently secures it at a different angle, one that’s a lot more comfortable.

I swallow when he lowers my foot back to the floor, only to grab my opposite ankle and bring it up to his muscular leg.

This feels… intimate.

“I don’t understand why you’re doing this,” I whisper.

His gaze lifts to mine, and I realize that we’re the same height like this—with him down on one knee and me seated on the couch. “We’re soulmates, Serapina. That means you’re mine to care for. And I haven’t been doing a very good job of that lately.”

That’s twice now that he’s used my real name and not called me Persephone.

Does that mean he’s starting to believe me? To understand that I don’t know anything about their history?

He studies my expression for a moment before returning to his task. He’s just finished securing the heel when Maliki shadows in wearing a suit that matches Hades’s.

Fae . I’m pretty sure I just swallowed my tongue.

I… I don’t know what I’m supposed to say or do right now.

Fortunately, Hades saves me from having to speak as he sets my foot back on the floor and stands. “Thank you for joining us, Maliki.”

“You promised popcorn,” Maliki replies. “I love popcorn.”

Hades snorts. “We both know popcorn isn’t why you agreed to be here.”

Maliki merely smiles, then looks around Hades to meet my gaze.

And promptly stops smiling as his eyes run over my dress. “Bloody shadows, Sera…”

My lips twist as I glance down. I’m not at all surprised to see the slit has run up to my hip—thanks to my squirming on the couch while trying to sort out my shoes—and my boob is half out of my gown, too.

“In my defense, I didn’t pick this dress,” I mutter as I force myself up off the couch. “Hades?—”

I cut off on a yelp when I twist forward, the heels even higher than I realized. My arms fly up to brace for landing, only to be caught in a masculine grip instead and spun before I could accidentally punch him in the face with my flailing hands.

Yeah, this is going really well, I decide. I’ve never felt more graceful in my life.

The sarcastic thoughts make me wince as I go limp in Hades’s grip. He holds me from behind, his lips at my ear. “How about you sit down again and I take those shoes off, hmm?”

“Feel free to take the dress off, too,” I grumble.

Then I stiffen as I realize what I just said.

“That is not what I meant,” I say quickly as I try to push myself away from him. But his grip is too tight.

“Calm down,” he tells me, his torso suddenly rumbling with a sound I know very well now.

A purr .

It’s different from Morpheus’s reverberations, though. His are almost like a low hum, the kind that lulls someone into sleep.

Hades’s purr is a deeper growl, one that instantly steals my fight.

Instead, all I want to do is roll into him and rub myself all over his chest.

Because wow.

Wow .

That’s an alluring echo, one that lulls me into a state of immediate comfort as Hades guides me back down to the couch.

But as he goes to one knee again, I snap out of my daze and say, “No. I want to leave the shoes on.”

Because now they feel like a challenge.

I couldn’t stand in them before… so I’ll try again.

And while I might hate every moment of wearing them, I’m determined to see it through. To gain some of my dignity back. To be Sera .

Hades looks at me. “All right.” He resumes his standing position and holds out a hand. “Want to try again?”

I consider batting his palm away, but that feels childish. So I accept his help up and focus on balancing. Then I fix my dress since I still look ridiculous.

So much for being sexy , I think, huffing at the stupidity of it all.

Once I’m done, I glance up at Hades. “How do I look?”

His gaze is as black as night as he replies, “Like a Goddess.”