Page 4 of Bride of Death (Netherworld Fae #1)

Maliki

Serapina Everheart is trouble with a capital T .

Her golden blonde hair, pouty lips, and sparkling blue eyes craft the picture of corruptible innocence. Couple that with her perfect tits and heart-shaped ass, and she’s like a damn beacon in this otherwise dark world.

A beacon that seems to call to every available male Corpse Fae and Death Fae throughout the Netherworld Kingdom.

Letting her work in Death’s Den was a fucking mistake. Hell, letting her leave the palace was a damnable offense.

Thankfully, Hades has finally come to his senses. Because I am fucking tired of playing babysitter. Or maybe stalker is the right term.

I follow the alluring female everywhere. Knock out any fae who tries to touch her. Persuade would-be suitors to look the other way. And also ensure the trees in her favorite courtyard don’t accidentally ensnare her.

Fae, she’s too innocent to be here.

Too na?ve. Too sweet. Too human .

Yet, supposedly, that’s all a facade.

I’ve questioned that since Hades first told me not to fall for her little game. Because if she’s playing at her innocence, she’s doing one hell of a job.

Her expression tonight when I called her the Bride of Death suggested she had no idea what I was talking about.

But that’s not my problem.

It’s Hades’s issue.

One I wish he would take on himself.

Alas, here I am, standing just outside his personal quarters, waiting for him to join me.

He knows I’m here. Not just because he’s omniscient in general, but because Ossa growled a warning the moment I shadowed onto the dark cobblestone terrace. She’s not my biggest fan. Given what she did to my favorite pair of shoes, I’m not all that fond of her either.

Howl and Mort are fine, though. Which is the only reason I crouch as the three-headed beast comes scrambling toward me.

Ossa releases a complaint via a low whine, while the other two yip in excitement. I can tell she’s trying to gain hold of the legs, but her two brothers override her choice, causing the furry mass of black fur to tumble right into me.

I’m ready with my hands, scratching their abundance of ears and scruff, all while Ossa grumbles in annoyance.

“I’ll never understand her disfavor toward you,” Hades murmurs as he walks out through his flowing dark drapes. “Most females find you irresistible.”

I snort, then go to pat Ossa on the head. “She’s just jealous of Fleur.”

Ossa snaps at my fingers, trying to take a bite out of me.

Which only has me chuckling in response when Mort and Howl snarl right back at her.

The three of them begin tussling amongst themselves, which creates a large spinning ball of fluff, one that whirls with violent energy across the stone ground.

Fire erupts in their wake, causing Hades to shake his head as he sends a blast of magic after them to minimize the fiery damage. “Useless,” he mutters.

“You adopted them,” I point out.

“I did,” he sighs. “They’re intimidating when they need to be.”

“If you say so,” I drawl, my focus shifting to the view. That’s why I chose his terrace for our meeting instead of his office or his personal quarters.

I love it up here. It’s quiet. The air is crisp. And the pale moons look close enough to touch, their dull yellow light casting an ominous glow over the valley below.

A valley that houses all of Corpse Fae and Death Fae kind.

This is one of the only places that ever gives me peace.

I admire the deep red falls in the distance, the thick substance roaring with powerful force from the top of the Netherworld Mountains and dropping into the Blood River below.

It’s deadly. Unpredictable. And riddled with violent intentions.

Just like me .

“Where’s my mate?” Hades asks.

“Safely tucked into her village bed,” I reply without looking at him.

After Sera locked up Death’s Den, I followed her back to the one-bedroom hut she calls home, just like I do every night. She never notices, something I can’t really fault her for, as no one notices me in the shadows. That’s where I lurk and kill. Hence my infamous nickname.

Fortunately for Sera, I have no desire to harm her. At least, not in the traditional sense.

Sexually is another matter entirely.

Alas, she’s not mine to touch. A shame, truly, as I would very much enjoy making her scream.

“What part of bring her to me did you not understand?” Hades asks, a hint of irritation coloring his cultured tone.

“You told me to escort her to you,” I remind him, my gaze still on the village below. From here, I can barely pinpoint Sera’s location. It makes me uneasy, likely because I’ve been guarding her for nearly a year.

Ever since Hades helped free me from the Hell Fae King’s interrogation room .

Turning, I finally look at Hades and arch a brow. “ Escort implies consent. She didn’t consent. Ergo, I followed her home and came back here to provide my report.”

He stares down at me, clearly unamused. “And your report is centered around the semantics of specific words?”

I smile. “No. My report is, Serapina Everheart states she is uninterested in the upcoming mating games—not that she’ll be eligible to participate—and she doesn’t want an escort to her new accommodations. She also seems to be hard of hearing, as she favors the word ‘what.’?”

I pause, considering what else I need to tell him.

“Oh,” I go on, “and you owe me fifty ink coins.”

He simply holds my gaze, saying nothing.

I shrug. “She demanded I pay for my drinks even after I told her the owner says I can drink for free. Rather than argue, I left her a fifty. Hence…” I hold out my palm.

Hades remains silent, but I can see the storm brewing in his eyes.

He’s pissed.

Good .

Hades knows better than to leave me up to my own devices for too long. And this babysitting assignment has far surpassed our usual arrangements.

Forcing me to watch his betrothed without being allowed to touch is a fresh form of torture. I meant what I told her about his possessive side—he’ll kill anyone who even looks at her wrong. Including me.

Which makes the task of watching her very fucking difficult.

“You’re going to make me retrieve her myself,” Hades finally says.

“Am I?” I ask, feigning innocence. “I suppose it’s that or you give me permission to use force—which will very likely require me to touch her.”

His jaw clenches, understanding flickering in the dark depths of his intense eyes. “I see. That’s why the semantics matter.”

“Semantics always matter,” I counter. “But in this case, yes. I’m not about to test the limits of our arrangement.”

“I would never kill you, Maliki.” Soft words. An ominous promise.

“There are fates worse than death, Hades.” And I’m all too familiar with those fates. Many of those tortured destinies are ones I’ve crafted myself, and I have no wish to experience those outcomes from the opposite side.

He exhales slowly and finally releases me from the intensity of his gaze, his focus shifting to the Netherworld Kingdom below. “I need her in my palace.”

“Then perhaps you shouldn’t have let her leave in the first place.” It’s a chastisement, one that very few fae would ever dream to say to a God like Hades. But I’m not most fae. And our arrangement is far from ordinary.

“I wanted to see what she would do,” he murmurs.

“That’s been your excuse for the last year,” I point out.

“It’s not an excuse. It’s a reason.” There’s a subtle bite to his tone, one that tells me I’m treading on thin ice with my commentary.

But I don’t fucking care.

This has gone on long enough.

“Have you considered that perhaps she’s telling the truth?” I ask him. “That she doesn’t remember anything at all?”

He doesn’t answer me, though a flicker of black flames dances along his fingertips as he continues to study the world below.

“Do you find it troubling that she hasn’t gone into heat yet?” I press.

He told me last year that a few weeks in his presence should trigger her Omega soul to take over, which would likely result in a long-overdue estrous cycle.

The only reason he informed me of this was because he needed someone he could trust to guard him while he took care of his mate.

However, that event has yet to happen.

And from what I’ve witnessed in Sera, it won’t be anytime soon.

Her petite stature may physically mark her as an Omega, but she lacks the timidness and submissive tendencies that Hades once remarked on.

Well, the submissive part remains to be seen. I’m certain I could make her kneel under the right circumstances.

“I find a lot of things about this situation troubling,” Hades tells me, his voice low, like he’s afraid his words may carry, thus revealing his weakness. “I sense Persephone with every breath, yet I don’t recognize her human shell. It’s so fragile. Too fragile.”

“You’re worried she’ll die and her soul will move on to another host,” I translate.

“Among other things, yes. But sometimes the best way to light a fire is to ignite a spark.” He looks at me again. “You spoke to her tonight?”

His question takes me aback just a bit, as it’s not one I expected him to ask. “Yes.”

“So you’ve officially met, then?” he presses.

“Officially? Not quite. But she knows me as Ghost.”

He nods. “Good enough. Keep talking to her.” He turns, dismissing me with that task.

“And say what?” I call after him.

He shrugs. “Up to you.” He glances back at me over his broad shoulder. “But you have one week to convince her to marry me.”

I huff a laugh. “So I’ve been upgraded from babysitter to seducer now?” I mean it as a joke.

However, he simply replies, “Yes,” and begins walking again.

This time I shadow to cut him off at the doorway—an action that has Ossa growling at me from the terrace. I ignore the fiercely protective animal and focus on the beast of a God standing before me. “Give me parameters.”

“No,” he tells me. “No rules.”

“Then I can touch her?” I voice it as a threat, knowing he’ll react to it.

His jaw visibly tightens, just as I expect. “If that’s what it takes, yes.”

I startle at that reply and take a step backward. “ What ?” It doesn’t escape my notice that I’m now using Sera’s favorite word from Death’s Den, but it’s an appropriate response. “Have you lost your mind?”

He arches a brow. “Are you saying you’re not up to the task, Maliki?” He tilts his head, his expression evaluating. “Her pale skin will flush nicely beneath your touch, yes?”

I narrow my gaze. “You’re fucking with me.” Actually, no, he’s punishing me. I danced around his terminology earlier, so now he’s leaving me to define this game.

“No, I’m asking you to get closer to her,” he corrects me.

“And that means I can fuck her?” I demand, trying to throw him off course and force him to set some sort of boundaries.

But the asshole simply shrugs. “Perhaps eventually.”

Now I know he’s lost the plot. “I had no idea you wanted cause to kill me, my lord .” The title is one I know he hates, it’s how all the fae in this kingdom refer to him. But I only do it when I’m trying to irritate him.

His lips curl. “Nice try, Mal.” The nickname is one he rarely uses for me. “I may not wish to share her, but if it’s the means to acquiring her acquiescence, so be it.”

He tries to step around me.

I don’t let him, instead meeting him move for move. “Then why not call Morpheus?” I ask, aware that my question is a low blow.

Some of Hades’s nonchalance finally cracks. “Because Morpheus has no claim on what’s mine.”

“And I do?” I counter.

“You could,” he tells me, again shocking the shadows out of me. “The notion of watching you touch her does not appall me the way it probably should.”

I snort. “That’s motivational.”

“Would you like me to make it a request, Maliki? To ask you to fuck her for my pleasure?”

I finally step out of his way. “I’m not going to let you make a demonstration out of me at your wedding.”

He runs his gaze over me. “If I were to do that, I promise we would both enjoy it.”

“I crave the death of others, not my own,” I tell him.

His lips curl at the sides. “I’m the God of Death, Maliki. If I kill you in ire, I’ll just bring you back after I’ve calmed down.” With that unhelpful commentary, he vanishes.

A note appears a second later, the lettering resembling Hades’s familiar scrawl.

There are only two words on the white parchment, both penned in black blood.

One. Week.

“Fuck my life,” I mutter. “And fuck you, Hades. Fuck. You. ”