Page 36 of Bride of Death (Netherworld Fae #1)

Sera

I pinch my side, convinced I’m dreaming. This feels too much like one of my nightly fantasies to be real.

“Like a Goddess.”

Fae, I wish that were true.

But I accept the response with a smile. When I asked how I looked, I expected him to confirm that I adequately fixed the dress.

Instead, he caught me off guard with his reply. So now I have no idea what to say.

“Maliki?” Hades prompts. “Compliment my wife.”

My blood heats from the command underlining his tone. Plus the possessive way he worded the demand.

My wife.

Part of me wants to point out that we’re not married yet.

But a stronger part of me wants to hear Maliki’s response.

He moves forward to stand beside Hades, his golden irises swirling with interest as he takes his time looking me up and down. “ Goddess is a good description,” he murmurs. “You’re our very own Aphrodite, sweet mystery.”

My brow furrows. I have no idea who or what an Aphrodite is.

“She’s the Greek Goddess of Love,” he tells me, likely seeing the confusion in my expression. “I have no doubt her myth was inspired by an Omega like you.”

“Wasn’t Aphrodite also the Goddess of Lust?” Hades asks conversationally.

“Beauty, lust, sex ,” Maliki murmurs. “Though, that last one may be attributed to Venus. But the compliment remains.”

Hades nods. “It’s appropriate.”

I shiver, their words warming my veins even more. They’re talking to each other like I’m not standing right here.

“Now escort my wife to the table and help her find her seat,” Hades demands. “I’ll go help Lyon bring in dinner.”

He vanishes before either of us can comment, his crisp scent the only remaining indicator that he was just here.

Maliki takes his spot, his lips curling. “Feeling overwhelmed, trouble?”

I swallow and nod. “A little.”

He reaches for my hair and tucks it behind my ear, then traces my jaw with his fingertips. “Don’t worry. I’m still your protector. No one can touch you, not even Hades.”

“Isn’t he the one who hired you?” I ask, incredulous. “Can’t he just relieve you of the task if you try to stop him from hurting me?”

“Hades didn’t hire me,” he reminds me. “And he would never hurt you, Sera,” he says seriously. “I know you may feel otherwise, given the situation, but in time, you’ll understand my certainty.”

His expression is so earnest I can tell he really believes that.

I wish I could, too. I wish I could be like Pip and trust easily. Have faith. Enjoy hope.

Alas, pessimism is my friend.

So I simply reply, “We’ll see.”

Maliki palms my cheek, then glides his fingers back into my hair and pulls me into an unexpected hug.

“I told you I don’t want your pity,” I mutter into his suit jacket as his free arm wraps around my waist to hold me against him.

“I don’t pity you, Sera,” he murmurs against my ear. “I just don’t have the ability to comfort you with a purr, so I’m using my warmth instead.”

My lips curl at both his words and the way he holds me. “I like your hugs,” I admit.

“Good. Because I like hugging you,” he whispers.

My eyes close as I revel in his strength. It’s different from Morpheus’s purr and Hades’s touch. They all provide contentment in unique ways. But Maliki’s warmth is the one I trust most.

Rather than overthink the reasons for that trust or how his actions may have been inspired by me being an assignment, I simply let him soothe me.

Just like when I fell asleep in his arms.

Fae, was that only last night?

My sense of time is severely skewed. I feel like I’ve lived through a dozen lifetimes over the last few years.

Maliki buries his face in my hair. “This dress is fucking killing me, Sera.”

I frown. “It is? How?”

His palm goes to my nape, giving it a squeeze, as his opposite hand explores my bare back. “It makes me want to touch something that isn’t mine to touch, trouble.”

My lips part as understanding crosses my mind. “Oh.” I have no idea how to respond to that because I… I don’t want him to stop. Which is probably wrong. I’m engaged to his… his boss? His friend? I don’t really understand his relationship with Hades.

Fae, I don’t really understand my relationship with Hades.

“All I want to do is explore every inch of your exposed skin.” He traces my spine down to where the fabric hugs my waist. “Which I know will lead to me wanting to reveal more of you.”

I shiver at his admission, at the fantasy it creates in my mind.

Hades told Maliki to guide me to the table. To help me find a chair. And suddenly, all I want is to go to the bedroom instead.

I don’t need food. I ate a few hours ago when Maliki sent a snack to my room.

In fact, I don’t think I’m hungry at all.

“I meant what I said when I called you Aphrodite,” Maliki adds, his mouth at my ear again. “She was a temptress. The most beautiful Goddess alive. A myth, of course. But you are so very fucking real, Sera.”

A tremble works through me as he kisses my temple.

“I’ve struggled to keep my hands off of you, choosing survival over giving in to this forbidden need,” he whispers. “I’m starting to think dying is a small price to pay if it means tasting you before I depart.”

My stomach twists, his words doing strange things to me. He keeps talking about death being worth the risk. “I don’t want you to die,” I tell him.

“Then perhaps you should consider asking your husband for mercy,” a deep voice rumbles behind me.

I stop breathing, his tone rippling through me like a wave of dominant energy.

Yet Maliki doesn’t stop stroking my back. “I’m not apologizing,” he says. “You left me here with her in a dress you knew would bring me to my knees. So consider me begging, my lord .”

Hades hums, the sound one that seems to vibrate throughout the room as he grabs my hip from behind.

My eyes widen, his heat bleeding into my back as he sandwiches me between his large, masculine form and Maliki’s lethal one.

“Do you hear that, little mate?” Hades asks silkily, his opposite hand going to my chin to tilt me back to look at him. “Maliki is begging me to kill him.”

I gape at Hades. “Please don’t,” I whisper. “He hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“Oh?” Hades arched a brow. “But he’s touched someone who doesn’t belong to him.”

Because I belong to Hades.

Rather, my soul belongs to him.

But does my body?

“I should have a say in who can touch me,” I tell him, my voice lacking the necessary conviction to properly deliver the comment. But I’m thinking out loud. “You can’t kill Maliki for hugging me.”

“Can’t I?” Hades asks, his tone suggesting I may need to reconsider my stance.

However, I don’t want to reconsider anything.

“It’s my body. I choose who touches it.” There, that came out stronger.

“I see.” Hades searches my gaze, his expression giving nothing away. “And do you want Maliki to continue touching you, wife ?”

We’re not married yet , I nearly reply, the boldness coming from somewhere within. Maybe from the part of me that feels frustrated with my fate.

Every decision in my life has been made by someone else.

The Day of the Choosing.

Demeter’s Gardens.

Coming to the Netherworld.

My engagement to Hades.

Maliki being assigned to guard me.

But the way I feel about Maliki is my choice. He gives me warmth. Happiness. Humor .

And now he’s giving me comfort with his touch.

So I answer Hades with a stern “Yes.”

His eyes glitter as he stares down at me. “Good. Then consider him a wedding gift.”

My lips part. A wedding gift? I repeat in my head. What does he mean by that?

“Please my wife, Maliki,” Hades demands. “Your life depends on how much she enjoys your touch .”

Black flames dance in his irises as he utters those words, his focus entirely on me despite his words being for his enforcer.

I swallow, and Hades tracks the movement with his gaze, his fingers still clasping my chin. “This stops the moment you request it,” he tells me, his voice softer than a second ago. “Just say my name and this all ends. Understand?”

Not really , I think. Primarily as I don’t understand what this means. Yet I nod anyway. Because it feels like the right response.

“He won’t hurt you,” Hades adds. “And neither will I.”

His statement feels like a vow. However, I don’t know if I can trust it.

Hades may not hurt me physically, but I have no doubt he’ll annihilate me mentally. The hatred and anger still simmer in his gaze, along with another emotion I can’t define.

Possession, maybe?

Whatever it is, it’s hot and stoking the inferno flickering in his stare as he looks at my mouth. His thumb traces my lower lip, and he might as well have lit me on fire.

Because my skin burns from that short caress. Like he’s marked me as his without ever having kissed me.

“Maliki,” he murmurs. “Begin.”

“I’m not your puppet,” Maliki returns, his palm flattening against my lower back. I’m certain Hades feels it since he’s still holding me tightly from behind. And I see the knowledge of it flash in his features.

“Definitely not a puppet,” Hades says softly. “But if you want to play with my wife, you’ll adhere to my commands.”

Maliki hums, his hold loosening as he pulls back from my hair. “Release her to me,” he tells Hades, issuing his own form of a demand. “If I’m going to pleasure your wife, I need to be able to see her eyes.”

Flames erupt across my skin.

Pleasure your wife .

He means kiss your wife , right?

That’s a form of pleasure.

That’s what he intends to do.

Right?

“As you wish,” Hades says, guiding my chin forward until I meet Maliki’s gaze. Then Hades’s fingers slowly trace my jaw, all the way back to my ear, where he tucks away my hair and exposes my neck.

Hot lips meet my tender skin, right above my throbbing pulse point.

“Enjoy your wedding gift, pet,” he says, then lets go of my hip and takes a step back.

But he doesn’t leave.

I detect his presence behind me like a wall of intensity, his gaze a palpable sensation I feel roaming over my exposed back.

“Ignore him and focus on me, Sera.” Maliki’s tone is laced with a gentle command, one that has me nearly swaying in his arms.

Because this is too much.

Yet not nearly enough.

I have no idea what he intends to do to me. Or if Hades is planning to just stand there and… and watch .

However, the idea of it has me burning all over.

Not with mortification, but with excitement .

Fae, what is wrong with me?

“Sera,” Maliki says again, his palm cupping my cheek. “Remember what Hades said. Say his name and this all stops, yeah?”

What all stops? I want to ask. You touching me? Because I don’t want that to stop.

So I guess I’m never saying Hades out loud ever again.

That’s fine.

I’ll just call him my lord like Maliki does.

Yep.

Okay.

Maliki smiles. “I think your wife is lust-drunk.”

“It does appear to be that way,” Hades replies, his tone lacking ire. If anything, he sounds intrigued. “Are you going to keep teasing her or kiss her?”

“Hmm,” Maliki hums. “I’m not sure yet. You know how much I enjoy foreplay.”

“I do,” he says as something pops in the background.

I glance back, startled by the sound, and see Hades holding a bottle of something. It looks like bloodpagne, a type of bubbly drink that some of the fae like back at the Den. He pours it into a glass, then takes a sip while holding my gaze.

That’s when I realize the table is full of food.

I have no idea when he carried it all in. I’m not sure I care.

Because I’m still not hungry.

“Sera,” Maliki says, his hand on my chin—just like Hades’s was before—as he guides my focus back to him. “I’m the one touching you right now. Not your mate. So I want your undivided attention. Understand?”

Swallowing, I nod. “Yes.”

“Good girl.” He brushes my mouth with his thumb, stoking the fire Hades left behind, and lifts me in the air with his arm around my lower back.

I gasp, my hands instantly going to his shoulders for balance as he begins to walk. “Maliki…”

“I warned you that this dress makes me want to reveal more of you, Sera,” he says, his steps sure despite his gaze locking with mine. “I’m going to remove it.”

My eyes widen. “ What ?”

He simply smiles. “That’s not your husband’s name.”