Dark Goddess (18 page)

My nostrils flared as I met his manic gaze head on.

Apparently I wasn’t intimidating at all.  I should have known.  He was obsessed with Hera whose anger was ten times colder than mine was hot.

Ixion leaned forward, smelling of expensive cologne and hair gel.  “Give me your number or I might decide to pursue you in other ways.”  His tone was clear and he reinforced it by sliding his hand along my lower thigh and squeezing.

Sickness churned my stomach and my skin crawled at his threat.  “That would probably anger Hera.”

His head ticked to the side in thought.  “It could make her jealous.  Maybe if she thought she was losing my affections she might realize what a loss that would be…”

That was not happening.

“Give me your phone,” I hissed, shifting uncomfortably this close to him.

Suspicion colored his face, but he handed over a sleek black phone. 

I dialed my number, sending my phone buzzing in my pocket.  I snatched it out.  “There.  Now you have mine and I have yours.”

A delighted smile curled his lips.  “Perfect.”  He stood and headed for the door with a pep in his step as if he hadn’t just coerced me.  “I’ll text you later.  I’m going to go find a seers mirror and see if Hera has reconsidered going on a date.”  He glanced back at me.  “I don’t know why she’s so opposed to modern tech.  It’s the shit.”  He motioned between us with a finger.  “We gotta work on her.”

He disappeared out the door and I was on the verge of releasing the tension his close and unwanted proximity caused when he stuck his head back in.  “Friend me on Facebook, ‘kay?”

I absentmindedly nodded, wondering what kind of posts the nut job had on his page.  What were his likes?

Once I was sure he was gone, my anger doubled, staining my blood with fire.  I kicked the bowl of strawberries, sending them scattering all over the throne room floor.

“Hey, don’t waste good food.  What’d those strawberries do to you?”

I glanced up to find Hermes strolling in followed by my dad.  I groaned and slumped on the couch.  I knew exactly where this conversation was headed.  I did
not
need this now, especially on the heels of my encounter with psycho Ixion.

“Don’t even start dad,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him.  This wasn’t the first lecture about school.  It was simply the first time he showed up in the Underworld to deliver it.

He came around the other side of the couch, glaring down at me with hard amber eyes.  “You can’t miss anymore school Hartley.  You won’t graduate.”

I matched his glare.  “I don’t care.”  I motioned around me.  “Do you think I give a damn about school when my world here is falling apart!”

My dad jammed his fingers through his sandy blonde hair, frustration evident on his face.  “I know this is upsetting to you…”

I cut him off.  “Upsetting?  Upsetting!  Are you freaking kidding me!”  I shot up.  “Hayden is missing and the Underworld is falling into darkness and disorder and you think I’m
upset
?”

He sighed, looking tired and scrubbed his face with his palms.  Worry lines creased his forehead and shadows dusted purple beneath his eyes.  “Hartley.  You can’t give up your entire life above.”

A twinge in my heart resonated.  His concern wasn’t unwarranted.  I would give it all up if I could save Hayden and the Underworld.  I’d never see my friends again if I could fix all the wrong here.

Part of me felt incredibly guilty for that.  It made me afraid to admit it to my dad.  I was also afraid he’d flip out and do something drastic if he knew the truth. 

I touched his arm gently.  “Dad, this is more important to me right now.”  It was as close to the truth as I would go.

Pain flickered in his eyes.  “I don’t want you to give up so much you can’t get it back.”  He stroked my hair gently, something he hadn’t done since I was a kid.  “I only want to see my baby girl graduate.”  He swallowed hard, attempting to silently choke back tears.

Thankfully Hermes made himself scarce, slipping onto the balcony so he didn’t witness my dad’s impending meltdown.

An idea popped in my head, one that was only borderline unethical.  “Daddy…?”

His brows knit, his expression turning incredulous.  “What do you want?” he asked warily.

I beamed up at him.  “I have an idea.”

“I’m afraid to ask.”

I held my palms up.  “If you use your siren gifts on my teachers and get them to let me do my classes from home for a while I can still graduate.”

He shook his head.  “You’ve got to be kidding me Hartley.  I don’t even know how to use my so called gifts.”

“I’m sure I can find someone to teach you.”  Hermes popped his head in, smiling devilishly. 

My dad shot him a glare.

“Please daddy.”  I threw my arms around him and squeezed tight.  “Do me this one thing.  Hayden’s gone and I’m all alone trying to figure this out.”  I sniffled.  “I’ll still do the work.  I just won’t be in class.  Please.”

I could already feel him caving before he spoke.  “Fine.  Damn it.”

I pulled back and smiled.  “Thanks dad.”

A golden brow arched.  “Oh, what happened to
daddy
?”  He mocked my voice.

I punched him playfully.

“
If
this works you have to promise you’ll go to graduation.”

“I promise.”

As I watched Hermes lead my dad away I wryly thought it might be one promise I had to break.  I wasn’t going anywhere until the Underworld was whole again and I had Hayden back.

Hayden

Ixion’s collaborator was still a mystery to me, but something else was momentarily more important.  Power was suddenly vibrating from the ground in the cave, pulsating with magic.  My feet carried me deeper inside where the dark souls wouldn’t enter for fear of getting lost in the bowels of darkness. 

I didn’t mind the darkness.  Plus I wasn’t insane and being tortured with my own memories. 

When I found the spot I knelt down and dug with my hands in the dry, dusty ground until a sleek black shape emerged—a shard of magical onyx.  I pried it out and blew the dirt off, revealing a broken piece the size of a quarter no doubt left behind by Hercules or Persephone when they stole souls. 

It was small, but if I had enough power still inside me and Hartley was asleep, I could use it to enter her dream.  My entire body shivered at the thought of seeing her again.  It felt like I hadn’t seen her in centuries.  My fingers ached to touch her, run them through her silken hair.  My lips burned to capture hers and taste her salty sweetness.

My hands trembled as I positioned myself between two rocks and the wall, closing my eyes and thinking of Hartley.

I was standing in a corridor of my castle, dim sconces flickering along the polished stone walls.  Hartley was calling my name, her voice laced with agony and longing.  My heart shivered as I ran toward the tragic sound, my shoes pounding against the marble floor.  I stopped at on open balcony overlooking a courtyard.  A round fountain sprouted water high above while multicolored gems shimmered in the dark depths of the pool.  A silk chase of silver and gold lay across the floor in front of an elaborate fireplace with columns of amethyst on either side.  Scarlet fire glowed along the arched entrances, daring anyone brave enough to enter. 

Hartley ran through, her body wrapped in a short white gossamer dress, her skin aglow and hair trailing around her.  She looked like an ethereal spectral, searching for her long lost love.

I leaned over the balcony and screamed her name before she disappeared.  “HARTLEY!”

She halted and spun around, her hazel eyes slowly traveling up to find me.  “Hayden?” 

My heart shuttered and slammed against my ribcage.  I ran, hating to lose sight of her, but it was the only way to reach her.  I took the stairs two at a time and jumped the last three.  I finally grabbed her in my arms and pulled her against me in a fierce hug.  Instead of melting into me like I expected, her body was stiff.  When I pulled back in confusion, her expression was one of suspicion.

“It’s a trick,” she whispered.  “The moment I believe it’s you you’ll disappear again.”

I cradled her face in my hands.  “No.  Hartley, baby, it’s me.  I swear.”

Her lips trembled and eyes watered.   “Lies.  It’s my nightmare.  I search for you endlessly.  I see you, but you disappear before I can reach you.”

A lump rose in my throat, seeing her so distraught, so hurt by my absence.  I hated this for her and I wanted to rip Ixion apart.  He could have my powers.  He could be ruler of the Underworld, but give me back to Hartley.

I laid my forehead on hers, a rogue tear escaping my eye and landing on her cheek to mix with hers.  “It’s me baby I promise.  I found a mystical piece of onyx and I used it to slip into your dream.”

Hartley drew away, a mixture of hope and pain filling her face.  “It’s really you?”

I nodded.

With a sob, Hartley crashed against me, falling into my arms with a ferocity that surprised me.  “Hayden… I miss you so much.”

Agony ripped a hole in my chest, but I remained upright just to keep her from falling.  “I miss you too Hartley.”

“Where are you Hayden?  How can I find you?”

“Shush.”  I rocked her a little.  “Don’t worry about that right now.”  I wasn’t sure how much time I had.  While most of the souls wouldn’t venture that far into the cave, it was still a risk to leave my body vulnerable on the off chance one or more did.

“But I need to find you…”

I cut her off, knowing it was an impossible task.  “Later.  I need to be with you for a minute.”  I pulled away and found her lips in a possessive, bruising kiss.  Heat swelled around us and I felt the fire in the hearth next to us roar to life in a crimson blaze.  I knew it wasn’t from me.  It was the power inside Hartley connecting with the Underworld.

“Hayden,” she breathed against me, pleading for more.

I was starved for her.  A man lost in the desert to find an oasis.  I knew it was only a dream—only a mirage—but it was the best fucking kind.  I could feel and taste her as if we were together in reality and not worlds apart.  Her roses and pine scent filled my nose, shaking my insides. 

I picked her up and laid her on the nearby chaise surrounding the hearth.

A gasp tumbled out her mouth.  “Here?”

A smile twitched my lips.  “It’s your dream Hartley.  Is anyone else walking around in here?”

Realization crossed her expression.  “Oh.  Nope.”  She tore my shirt off, dropping it on the black marble floor. 

Thankfully I had enough power to conceal the whelps and bruises all over my body otherwise Hartley would be shedding more tears of concern for me. 

I cocked my head, looking down at her.  “Eager, aren’t we.”

A coy smile curled her lips while her eyes shined with the true mischief she was about to unleash.  “Oh, come on baby, don’t act like you didn’t miss me even more.”  Her hands slid around my back and lowered, her fingers gripping my ass.  “If fact, I can tell just how happy you are to see me—even if this is a dream.”

Damn.  She’s got me whipped to the core.

My gaze traveled down her chest, the curves of her breasts straining the fabric as if they might burst forth.  I decided being whipped by Hartley wasn’t a bad thing.  Not at all.

My fingers curled in the delicate material, ripping it from top to bottom and displaying all of Hartley’s glorious body before me.  The length of creamy tan skin glistened in the undulating fires around us.

A gasp tumbled out her mouth and her chest rose frantically in anticipation of my touch.  My body was already burning up for her, but the way she was moving beneath me was making my blood boil and shoot to deep, perilous regions. 

My hand reached out and slid along her silken flesh, down her chest and belly.  She moaned, arching her back to bring us closer.

“Hayden,” she breathed, her pulse visibly trembling.  “Please.”

“Yeah?  Please what?” I urged, my hand teasing a trail across her ribs.

“Please…”  Hartley’s fingers massaged my back, her hazel eyes now alit with crimson flames.  “I… please…please.” 

Oh shit.  Not the pleading.  I licked my lips, watching her squirm beneath me.  “What do you want baby?”  My lips found hers, my tongue forcing entrance into her mouth before she could speak.  I wanted her to
show
me what she wanted.

Hartley bit my lip, punishing me for teasing her.  It wasn’t much of a punishment really.

Then her hand grabbed mine, forcing it lower and lower down her body.  A deep, aching groan slipped out of her, matching mine as I complied with her demands, giving her what she wanted.

My heart pounded and insides trembled as Hartley held me tighter, taking so much pleasure in my every touch, every caress of my tongue and hands.  A fine glisten of sweat beaded her skin, only serving to make her look more like the glowing goddess she was. 

And of course she gave me what I wanted, tearing the rest of my clothes off and pushing me over the edge with her.  Before long we were both wrapped up in each other—in more ways than one—seeking that connection we desperately craved and had been missing for weeks. 

A wonderful bliss filled me as my bare skin connected with hers.  Her heart slammed against her ribcage, matching the erratic rhythm of mine.  We melted together in perfect harmony as the world around us fell away, leaving only our hunger for each other and inexplicable love.

I kissed Hartley’s bare shoulder as she lay beneath me, sated.  Her skin was glowing and eyes flickering with distant crimson flames.  She stroked beneath my own eyes, as gray as they had ever been.

“I miss you Hayden.”

“I miss you too baby.”  I kissed her forehead. 

“Tell me where you are.  Tell me how to get to you.”

I’d been dreading this since she asked me the first time.  Because no one save for the god of the Underworld could get to me.  I reinforced the barriers of Tartarus with more power after Hercules and Persephone’s betrayal.  If I couldn’t free myself, I wouldn’t be returning to Hartley.

As if she could see the despair in my gaze her face fell.  “Where are you Hayden?”  Her voice trembled with trepidation.

I laid my forehead against hers and whispered the one word that would doom her hope.  “Tartarus.”

Hartley

My eyes fluttered open, staring at the elaborate silver crown molding running the length of the glistening black marble walls.  The loss of Hayden’s touch slammed into me and a strangled cry escaped my mouth.  I sat up, pulling my knees to my chest, trying to warm myself. It was useless.  I would forever be cold without Hayden.

A massive knot formed in my chest, rising in my throat.  I knew where Hayden was now yet he might as well be light years away.  My hope was pulverized into dry bits of dust, dissipating into the air like nothing.  I rested my head on my knees as tears leaked from my eyes, staining the silver satin sheets.

The onyx stone doors suddenly opened, startling me and igniting scarlet flames in my eyes.  A sliver of terror sliced through me, thinking it was Ixion making good on his threat.  A flame coalesced in my palm.  It wouldn’t hurt him, but I couldn’t go down without a fight.

Instead of meeting those impenetrable dark eyes I was seeing two pairs of blue eyes at opposing heights, both wide with shock.  It took me several moments to recognize their faces because they were so out of place in the Underworld.  Then I thought maybe I was hallucinating.  That was until a tiny gasp came out of one them at the sight of me with fire eyes and a flame pulsing in my palm.

Callie’s hand came up to her mouth while Will cursed.