AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I didn’t ask for this.” Hades spits on the ground. “But if ye want to make it so easy for me, I won’t say no.”
He puts up his fists, moving his legs into a fighting stance. His eyes catch on me and he jerks his head away from the cabin.
“Go on with ye, lass.”
“She will be fine with us,” Magda says, holding out her arm. “Come on. We may not be able to stop them from beating each other bloody, but we certainly don’t have to watch.”
I step toward her, hesitating. Hades is already stalking toward his brothers with a grim look on his face.
“Come on,” Diana says. She breaks loose from Magda and runs over to me, grabbing my hand.
Eros rolls his shoulders, his eyes on Hades. I let Diana pull me along, back down the hill. Magda falls in behind us as I glance back at the men. I can hear a grunt and a faint smacking sound, but we are soon out of their line of sight.
“So you’re Hades’ other half,” Diana says speculatively, looking me up and down. “You’re really pretty. Ma tried describing you, but I don’t think she did you justice.” Magda slips her arm around Diana’s waist. “As if anyone ever could.”
My brow draws down. “Thanks… but I’m a little confused. Have you actually met Hades?”
“Ugh.” Diana pulls a face. “Not yet. But Ma has shown me pictures and told me stories. We keep up to date with you guys from afar. Until recently, I thought that Hades knew about us and simply preferred it this way.”
“I thought the same,” Magda says.
“He definitely didn’t know about you. And that’s why he’s over there, thrashing Eros.” I scrunch up my face. “Ares is another matter.”
“Yes, Eros caught us up on the feud between them,” Diana says, tapping a finger against her lips. “It would make quite the story. I’m a junior reporter for the local paper and I’m always trying to find the latest scoop.”
She winks at me. Magda scans my face as we walk.
“Are ye feeling all right, Persephone? Ye look a bit pale.”
“Well…” I glance back toward the cabin, my hopes of a quiet dinner now smashed to smithereens. “I’m hungry.”
A loud yelp of pain makes Magda clutch at her chest. She shoots a dirty look over her shoulder and shakes her head.
“Come on, then. Let’s go to the clinic. I have plenty of provisions there. And I imagine that the boys will be along whenever their battle royale has played itself out.”
My stomach rumbles, telling me that it is a good idea to put food in it very, very soon. So I sigh and nod, allowing Diana and Magda to pull me along.
Chapter15
Hades
Eros is laying on the ground near the door of the cabin, barely conscious. He moans softly and rolls onto his side.
I smirk, tasting blood in my mouth. “That’s for being a fucking snake,” I tell him pointedly. “Yer just lucky that Persephone has already met ye and would look poorly on me if I was to kill ye.”
Ares rises from the ground, looking worse for the wear. His nose has been broken and blood trickles down in two streams, dripping onto his chin and his shirt. He’s the most muscular but least agile, so Eros and I each got our chance to bash him. If we were on speaking terms, we’d have teamed up and trounced Ares easily.
But I think it’s been far too long since Eros and I squared off against each other. Things between us were muddy.
Now they’re as clear as crystal and he’s on the ground, struggling to breathe.
I stand up with difficulty, wiping the blood from the cut over my left eye. Ares bares his teeth, raising his fists and circling me. I eye him, knowing that I won’t have to bait him into throwing the first punch.
I’ll just wait him out and taunt him a little. The rest will follow.
“What now?” I hiss, grinning like a maniac. “It’s just me now, Ares. There are no more women for ye to kidnap.”
He sneers, feinting a jab with his left hand. I dodge it easily, flowing around it like water around a fucking rock.
