Page 6

6

HOLDING ON TO HOPE

JARED

“W ell, that was a lot,” Marcus said, making me grant him a wry look.

“You think?” Orth replied before I could as we continued to walk to our destination. A place that Lerna had assured us that Ella might be, hence why we were making our way to the Gate of Hermes. Because after Lerna had explained all that had happened and how she sacrificed herself so as her sister could get away, it left us with our only option. To head that way in hopes that Ella made it.

Needless to say, my worry was growing by the minute. All I could hope for was that Asher had made it to her, as well as whoever Clay had sent to aid him. I knew, more than most, that in a place like the Underworld, there was strength in numbers.

As for Lerna, I may have had my grievances with her, but there was no doubting the love and loyalty she had for her sister. Her sacrifice when getting captured so as Ella could be safe was clear evidence of that.

No, in that I could not fault her.

“And you really had no knowledge of this?” I asked Marcus, who was quick to throw up his hands and say,

“I’m an Oracle, not God’s babysitter.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Orth snapped.

“It means, meat-head, that Hades made it so that no one knew about his illegitimate daughters, and Fate clearly didn’t trust my ass enough for me to know shit about what would happen… so no, Orth, I didn’t fucking know.”

“But you knew she was coming home,” I pointed out, as that was what he had told me back in Dom’s club.

“I knew that her soul was linked to this realm, yes, but not that she was a bloody princess of it and, like I said, no, I couldn’t fucking tell you,” Marcus admitted irritably. Half of me wanted to punch him, and the other half felt sorry for his oracle arse.

“Okay, okay, no need to get your micro cock in a twist,” my brother jabbed.

“Pretty sure that’s an oxymoron right there. Carry on and I will happily exchange your meat-head nickname for another… emphasis on the moron part,” Marcus threw back, making me roll my eyes, as here we were once again.

“Whatever, pencil dick,” my brother muttered, each of them trying to get the last word.

“Can’t twist a pencil either.”

“Try me… here, let me try on your neck.”

I groaned but before I could tell them to knock it off, I felt Lerna approach.

“Er, are they always like this?” Lerna asked, making me sigh as I glanced down at her.

The sight told a story of a woman who had clearly been through an ordeal. Her light-grey tunic was patched with dirt, the long panels, front and back, torn around the edges. This, along with her trousers, that were torn at the knees, and boots scuffed as if she had been dragged. She also looked fucking cold, even with her husband’s jacket still draped over her, one that dwarfed her slight frame.

“Ever since Marcus walked into my club,” I said, answering her question.

“Not to worry though, they secretly like each other, they just show it with threats instead of hugs,” I added, winking at her and making her giggle.

Not exactly the exchange I thought we would be having so soon, but after all she had told me, then I couldn’t find it in me to blame her anymore. Not considering everything she had done for Ella. So, in that, we were on the same page. And as long as that page didn’t include stealing Ella off to some place I couldn’t reach, then peace between us would continue.

And speaking of continuing, I was more than ready to leave the freezing wasteland behind. Not because I was cold, as thankfully my HellBeast blood would have thawed a glacier or melted an iceberg. Although Marcus wasn’t faring quite as well, seeing as he kept shivering, complaining about the cold and worried that his balls would freeze off. Every time he tugged his jacket closer around him, my brother smirked, so at least someone was enjoying themselves.

As for me, my mind kept playing out everything Lerna had told me. All the what if’s sending me crazy, making me ask myself if this was really what Fate had planned. But the main question was…

To what end?

A war raged within me, as on one hand, knowing it would make it harder for Garmr to find her made me happy as fuck that Ella’s powers had been taken from her. I also knew that if he did find her, he wouldn’t be able to turn her into some mindless fucking puppet or a slave to his ambitions for Armageddon. But on the other side of that damn coin, she was out there alone and without any means to protect herself.

Gods, but memories of Germany kept coming back to haunt me. It had been shortly after the car crash, and yet another time she hadn’t done as she was told. I swear it was like the girl had a score card she was secretly getting stamped.

Of course, at the time I couldn’t say I was surprised. Not considering all she was going through when seeing a whole bunch of biker HellBeasts fighting in the street. But it had meant that by the time I found her, she had a HellHound about to clamp his jaws around her and drag her sexy arse to Hell. Or at least try to, as unbeknown to Garmr at the time, due to her medical condition, it meant her blood was mortal enough to prevent that from happening.

As for me, Gods, but I had lost my ever-loving mind, tearing into that thing and no doubt scaring the shit out of her. And then what had I done, chased her down and fucking kissed her. I swear, when I looked back to how I acted and all the shit I pulled, it was a fucking miracle the girl loved me. That she agreed to be my wife and not kick my arse to the curb. Although, she had tried a few times, but lucky for me, I was a stubborn bastard, so there was no way I was letting the girl go. I knew, deep down, that she loved me.

Now did I deserve her? Probably not.

Did I care if I did…? Shit no.

She was mine and that was that.

“Can I ask what you’re smiling at?” Lerna asked, her sweet voice no longer tugging at my heart the way it once would have. No, I liked my Chosen One with fire in their blood and sass in their bones. I fucking loved my Ella.

“Just thinking about my girl,” I told her, making her grin.

“You really love her, don’t you?”

“Yeah, and no offence to my current company, but can’t say I have ever loved anyone more than her,” I told her. Not holding back.

“Hey, I heard that!” Orth shouted, making me smirk.

“You’re my fucking brother, idiot, can’t marry your Black arse,” I pointed out wryly.

“Not when I am too good for your white ass!” he shouted back, making me laugh. Lerna laughed too before the conversation took us back to Ella.

“I’m truly happy for you, for both of you, as I know how much she loves you also.”

At this my interest perked up.

“Yeah?” I said, not giving a shit if I was being too obvious, as anything my girl said about me, I wanted to know.

“All she cares about is trying to find a way back to you.”

This certainly had its desired effect, as I felt my HellBeast rumbling, causing me to rub a hand over my heart.

“We will get her back, I promise,” she told me, placing her hand on my arm, something that ended with her squeal of surprise as suddenly she was picked up by Koro and tossed over his shoulder.

“And that’s quite enough of that, heart of mine.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, feeling smug that it had made the bastard jealous.

“Koro, put me down, you brute.”

“I will show you brute when I finally get you alone,” he promised, making her groan in embarrassment. And I had to say, if anyone had told me that this was something I would be forced to witness, a year ago, heads would have rolled. I would have blown a gasket and tried to kill the guy. I would have felt bitterness consume me alive.

But as for now…

I felt nothing.

Not a single thing, as I couldn’t even claim to be big enough and say I felt happiness for her. As despite no longer feeling any malice towards her, I couldn’t bring myself quite so far as forgiving her entirely. Because what I said had been true. I could have been enjoying my life with Ella since she was eighteen years old. Even if I had to have given it a year or two for her to finish college and grow up a bit. I still would have known who she was to me. I could have watched her from afar. Ensured her safety. Helped her through the pain of her illness.

There was so much I had missed.

There was so much I could have fucked up beyond repair.

To think of the heartache I could have saved us both. That was the only bitter pill I had left to swallow. But as for the sight of Lerna’s happiness with someone I had considered my enemy all my supernatural life, then, no… there was nothing.

Nothing but the thought of my…

Lost Little Red.