Page 20 of Dead Serious Halloween Special
“He wanted Puck to tell him who’d opened the book. When Puck pointed out Tristan, theygrabbedhim. Aidan tried to stop them, but they took offence to the fact that he wasn’t a real pirate but instead his costume was Davy Jones fromPirates of the Caribbean, so they grabbed him too. I tried to stop them, but Blackbeard blew his black sparkly dust in my face and it was lights out. I don’t even remember hitting the floor.”
“It was a sleeping draught. Fae magic. You would have slept for a hundred years, and there is only one cure,” Death says matter-of-factly.
“What?” Chan asks.
“True love’s kiss,” he replies, as if it should be obvious.
Chan melts.
“Oh, please.” Sam rolls his eyes. “Will you two knock it off? I can practically see little hearts shooting out of your eyes, and it’s making me nauseous. Some of us are still single, you know.”
I open my mouth to say something when we’re interrupted.
“The Gospodar? Again, Olivia?” a cool and slightly exasperated voice says.
“Actually, this time it wasn’t me.” Olivia turns to face the intruder. “What are you doing here, Hades?”
He shrugs. “I thought I’d take a little constitutional topside.”
Olivia’s eyes narrow as she purses her lips. “You’re hiding from your wife again, aren’t you?”
Hades sighs. “The souls always get a little rambunctious around this time of the year when the veil of life and death is at its thinnest. It makes her a bit cranky. So I’m giving her some space. I’ll return to the Underworld with a little something special for her. You know how she loves those sweet treats from that little patisserie in Brooklyn.”
“That’s sweet.” Olivia smiles at him affectionately.
“When you’ve been married for several millennia, it’s the little things that count.”
I can’t believe Olivia is just standing there in the middle of yet another supernatural crisis, during which my husband appears to have been kidnapped by a fictional pirate, and having a calm conversation with an ancient god about New York pastries.
I’m freaking out about Tristan, but I don’t dare interrupt. I mean, after all, it’stheHades…
The man is gorgeous. For several long seconds, I’m stunned into immobility and can do nothing but stare at his handsome face. His jet-black hair has a bluish hue to it, and he’s wearing an expertly tailored suit. Come to think of it, he looks familiar.
Why does he look familiar?
My gaze shoots across to Death, who also has jet-black hair bordering on blue and is also wearing an immaculately tailored suit, and his face… well, there’s enough of a difference, yes, but they could pass for brothers. A similarity that I’m not the only one who has noticed.
Chan looks back and forth between Hades and Death. It’s Death, however, who has snagged my attention. He’s…he’sblushing. His cheeks are pink! And I don’t think I’ve ever seen that expression on his face before.
“D, honey,” Chan says, not as quietly as he perhaps should. “Why do you look like Hades?”
“Do I?” he replies nonchalantly. “I hadn’t noticed.”
“Did you… did you model your human look on the God of the Underworld?”Chan istrying and failing to hold back a wide smile.
“What?” Death says as his blush deepens. “I happen to be an admirer of his work. He has the lowest rate of complaints of any of the hell dimensions. I hear there’s a waiting list! Souls are actively choosing Hades over the Christian version of hell, which is so poorly managed, don’t even get me started. But the system for soul management Hades has instituted in the Underworld is very efficient, not to mention incredibly elegant. ”
“Oh my god!” Chan grins. “Are you fanboying over him?”
“Why, thank you,” Hades says, having clearly heard Death’s words. “It is nice to be appreciated. I do sometimes feel somewhat misunderstood. My brother is so much worse than me. Zeus is a spoiled, whiny man-child who’ll nail anything with a pulse, be it man, woman, or beast. Honestly, I’ve lost count of how many half-godling nieces and nephews I have, yet I’m the one with the bad reputation, simply because I deal in souls and live in an underworld.”
“I know what you mean.” Death nods. “I have the same problem. Not the underworld part, but I do have a brother who is a bit of nightmare. He just recently tried to escape into this world to cause utter chaos and carnage. Plus, mortals seem to think I’m inherently evil because I reap souls and my true countenance is a formless death shroud. I mean, it’s just rude to make assumptions based on someone’s job and appearance.”
“Right?” Hades agrees. “It’s so nice to meet someone who gets it, and I must say I am a huge fan of your work. TheBlack Death? I really must commend you, that was just beautiful attention to detail. True craftsmanship.”
“That’s very kind.” Death flushes with pleasure. “But it really pales in comparison to the river of souls. I mean, wow. And as for Tartarus?—”
“Thank you.” Hades gives a small, self-deprecating smile. “Persephone and I do try.”