CHAPTER 5

 

 

 

 

SUDDENLY, TWO OF THE WOMEN on the couch got up and rushed over to grab the gleaming stones from Hades’ hand. He chuckled as they scurried back to the couch to inspect their treasures. “The deals are sealed with my mark, and they cannot be undone. Even in death, their souls belong to me.”

Alexa was both sickened and sad. But if Hades could conjure up precious stones, what else could he do?

“You’re tricking them.” Alexa was both angry and frightened. “You’re sick.”

“I’m practical.”

Alexa searched the room for a way to escape. But with the guns pointed at them, they were trapped. The only way out was the elevator. If they moved, they would be shot into a sloppy angel mess, and Hades would no doubt devour them later. Unless Milo had some miracle plan of escape up his sleeve, Alexa had no idea how to get out of this mess.

Although she barely knew Milo, she knew him well enough to recognize the tension in his shoulders. She dug her nails into the soft flesh of her palms. She doubted she could slap the pagan god to death.

It occurred to her that she could disarm the guy closest to her. But then what? The other nine would shoot them immediately. No, she couldn’t risk it.

“Was that Dr. Prevost?” Milo’s voice was surprisingly calm as he gestured towards the man whose soul Hades had just ingested.

“Why are you hunting the souls of the members of The Crowns of the World? What is it about them that makes them worthy of the great Hades?”

Hades shrugged. “I like his apartment.”

“Why do you need to employ humans?” asked Milo. “What’s the matter, Hades? Have you lost your touch? Don’t demons want to follow a burned out pagan god anymore? They can see through your bullshit, can’t they? You’re desperate.”

For a moment it looked as if Hades’ icy calm was about to snap. His eyes flashed, and he opened his mouth in disbelief at Milo’s insolence. But he controlled his anger quickly, gritted his teeth and smiled.

“I might have been away for hundreds of years, but one thing hasn’t changed—man is still the same greedy creature. You’d be surprised at how easily these gems can persuade weak mortals to serve me. They are my dark hands, now. My servants. And I have more of them than you can imagine.”

Alexa noticed that the eyes of Hades’ dark hands seemed unfocused. They had a strange gray film over them, as if they were wearing the same gray-colored contact lenses. The light in their eyes had faded, and they looked like the eyes of corpses. The young women on the couch had the same vacant gray eyes and empty smiles.

Could they not see through Hades’ human disguise?

Two of them had slumped off the couch and lay passed out on the floor. She wondered how young women always managed to put themselves in such dangerous situations. They probably didn’t really comprehend what they’d given up. All for money…

Hades could see that she was staring.

“Yes. Beautiful, aren’t they?”

He moved next to a brunette who was sprawled on the couch and lifted her up in one swift movement. Cupping the back of her head, he kissed her deeply. Her arms dangled limply by her sides. Her eyelids fluttered open for a moment, and then they closed. Her face was expressionless like she was in a coma. Hades tossed her on the couch like a discarded pillow.

“I’ve always had a penchant for the fragile beauty of mortal women. Their taste is addictive.”

Alexa leaned towards Hades angrily, and the servant poked his gun barrel deeper into her chest.

“You’re a sick bastard. I’m sure if they knew who you were—what you are—they’d never let you near them, and they’d certainly never let you touch them.”

Hades laughed and ran his fingers along the thigh of blonde woman in a tiny black slip. “They like it just fine, darling. They wouldn’t be here if they didn’t.”

Alexa had to refrain from leaping at Hades. She hated this guy.

Milo moved forward even though a gun was pointed at his skull. “Let the women go, Hades—”

“Or what?” Hades raised his glass to his lips and sipped at his drink. “What do you think you can do?”

His eyes flashed. “Please show me. You know I love to be entertained. Go ahead. Do what you must.”

Milo’s body stiffened, but he stayed where he was. Alexa could see that he was fighting for control. He looked at Hades. “You know we can’t harm humans.”

“Really?” Hades laughed. “I remember a time when humans meant nothing to you. When the mere sight of them disgusted you. What’s stopping you now, angel? Are you afraid word will reach the Legion? You shouldn’t worry. I care nothing for the corrupt politics of the Legion. I won’t tell them if you decide to kill my dark hands. I’ll just replace them. Go on. Do it.”

Alexa looked curiously at Milo. “What’s he talking about?”

She searched his face. Milo didn’t look past nineteen, but his eyes held years of wisdom. He had recognized Hades the moment they had entered the room. It was obvious they already knew each other. Milo was more of a stranger than she had imagined. He must be a really ancient angel.

Hades looked at the two of them.

“What’s this? She has no idea who you are, does she? How interesting.”

Milo’s handsome face twisted, and his elegant eyes narrowed to slits. “What is it that you want, Hades?” he said. “Why don’t you order your zombies to kill us already? My arms are cramping up. I feel like a fight.”

“Shut up, Milo,” warned Alexa, but he didn’t seem to hear her.

“The way I see it,” Milo continued, “while I can’t touch your humans, I’m fast enough to get around at least three of them to get to you. Yes, I might die in the process, but not before I cut off your head or do some serious damage.”

Milo raised his swords. “It might be worth the risk.”

Alexa opened her mouth to protest, but then she closed it. There was a strange, deliberate smile on Milo’s face, like he was enjoying himself. He wasn’t stupid. Maybe this was part of his plan—to anger Hades, to throw him off a little, and then do whatever it was he was planning.

“I’ve got a deal for you,” said Milo coldly. “Tell me what you want, what you’ve been up to, and why you are targeting The Crowns of the World, and I might kill you faster.”

Hades settled his empty glass on a side table. His face was stony.

“What I want,” said Hades to Milo, “you cannot give me. Business is good. As you can see, I have an ample supply of dark hands, but it’s not enough. Human souls are more valuable than you can imagine. They fuel me with energy and light. But an angel’s soul—”

Hades turned to Alexa, “—well that’s even better. And you still owe me yours.”

Alexa squared her shoulders. “No, I don’t. It’s not my fault your plan backfired. That’s on you.”

“It makes no difference. A deal’s a deal. All of your soul belongs to me.”

“Go to hell—”

Pain exploded in the back of Alexa’s head, and she fell to her knees. The blow had caught her hard on the back of the head. She heard Milo calling her name, and she blinked the red spots from her eyes and staggered to her feet.

“I’m fine,” she mumbled.

She turned and glared at the smug looking dark skinned man who’d hit her. “You’re going to wish you’d never done that.”

The man made to strike Alexa again, but he recoiled when Hades dismissed him with a flick of his wrist.

“Wait.” Hades straightened the front of his jacket.

“You know, I should be thanking you, Alexa. That night when you chose to save your precious mortal, when you chose to give me your soul willingly, even though I didn’t get it all, I did get enough of it to sustain me in the mortal world. An angel’s soul was the essential ingredient for my true rebirth. I would have succumbed without it.

“All of this,” he raised his arms, “would not have been possible without the sustenance your soul provided. Mortal souls would never have been enough. As soon as I stepped out into this world, I felt the rush of power from your angel soul. It is because of your sacrifice, darling, that I now stand before you.”

“You’re lying…” Alexa felt cold all over, but the look on Milo’s face confirmed what Hades had said.

She had unknowingly enabled Hades to cross into the mortal world.

She felt dizzy and sick all at once. All these deaths were her fault. All of them.

Time seemed to stop for a moment. She clenched her fists, but even the pain of her nails digging into her palms didn’t relieve her guilt. The pain didn’t change anything.

“Now, I need to be somewhere,” said Hades.

He moved towards the hallway. He looked back at Alexa for a moment. And then he said, “Kill them.”