Scarlett's Letter (Touched by a God #1) (11 page)

Plans Gone Awry (10)

ΨΨΨΨΨΨ

the depths of hell: Hades/brock

What the fuck? That bullshit hadn’t been what he had set in motion.  Heads were going to roll.  Literally!!  The plan was to orchestrate a scenario where she would see him, the Brock version him, as her “white knight.”  Using an overly sexual demon whose sole purpose was to impregnate human women with their seed wasn’t his most brilliant idea.  The point of the demon’s existence was to populate the earth with Dual-Walkers.  Dual-Walkers were those that could walk in the depths of hell and the plains of the Earth.  The demons that created them only had one ejaculation before they died.  If he really hated her, then he would have let the thing do just that.  It would serve her right for denying him what was rightfully his. 
No
!  His purpose was to “woo” her.  That statement wasn’t dripping with sarcasm.  Wooing would take him out of his norm and he didn’t often venture out of that zone. 

Hades had seen a shade of red that was so pure it was almost translucent when he saw the Sexian Demon about to take
his
Rouge against her will.  Her screams ignited a fire in him and it took all of his strength to recall that he was the reason that she was in danger. 

He completely forgot that when she cried out, barely, whispering a plea of “please don’t do this.”  Or maybe he just heard that coming from his own mind.  Either way, what the Sexian Demon had been attempting was
NOT
a part of his plan.  His fucking expectations were not being met and someone was going to pay dearly.  All Hades had intended or wanted was to scare her a bit.  He never wanted someone to attempt to rape her.

When he’d arrived in the opening of the alley and heard Rouge’s scream for help, he saw nothing but all of the ways that he was going to end the bitch that was attempting to hurt her. In his eyes, attacking his woman and not him was a bitch move.  She and the demon were wrestling when he arrived.  There was no way that was going to fly.  He quickly snatched the demon off of her, but hadn’t taken into account the leverage the demon had on her.  Her body had fallen and he wanted to split the demon in half, ass first.  As it were, he snapped the demon’s neck, then cleaved his head from his body within seconds.  He sent the pieces to Cerberus lair.  Let his pet have him. 

As soon as the demon was gone, he’d hurried to help her.  He was still pissed off, but just one touch from her had him immediately calming.  He was happy that she hadn’t been fully coherent or she would’ve seen his blunder.  He’d been so concerned for her well being that he had forgotten that she was supposed to be a stranger to him and he wouldn’t know how to get to her home.  Hades had hurriedly moved them back to the middle of the alley so that she could let him know where she lived. 

The first time that he’d said goodbye to her he’d begun to doubt if any part of his plan would work.  Maybe she wasn’t attracted to the businessman type.  Maybe she didn’t like pretty boys.  Hades knew he didn’t fit into the category of “pretty boy.” Ruggedly handsome “bad boy” or “trouble’s twin”: those phrases suited him.  He’d looked at her.  He’d really taken a moment to look at her and he could do nothing but focus on her beauty.  While he did that, he saw that spark that said that she was interested in Brock.  There was guilt and confusion there, as well.  She didn’t want to be attracted to a new person.  He could feel her indecisiveness and he had been enjoying every moment of it.  It was one of the reasons that he’d gone to the bathroom and remained there tending to his “fake” wounds.   He was reveling in the fact that she was actually torn. 

Hades was planning on making things a bit easier for her.  He wanted her to like Brock and like him enough to care for him, somewhat.  There was only so much a man could handle when it came to his woman.  She was
his
.  After all was said and done, the end game was for her to return with him.  She could like Brock, but Brock would have to disappear when closing time came.  When the clock that said the “courting time was up” sounded, then she would be going with him. 

He felt off.  Hades felt funny about doing all of this to her.  What choice did he have?  He needed…wanted her to be in his life and this seemed to be the only avenue that he had.  It was working.  It wasn’t exactly according to his plan, but he had his foot in the door.  He knew Rouge well enough to know that she wouldn’t be able to resist researching the name on the card.  If nothing else, she’d learn who that was.  He was hoping her somewhat pushy friends would convince her to take a chance. 

As he thought about that brief time with her, Hades realized that being Brock was a good thing for him when it came to Scarlett.  The looks that he so enjoyed were the same looks that she’d given him as Brock.  He was able to enjoy her smile and laughter along with the light of her spirit.  She’d been comfortable around that side of him.  It had been a while since she’d been that way with him.  He hadn’t realized that he’d been missing it until he saw it again.

He loved the fact that she seemed be herself with Brock, even in that brief interaction.  He’d almost forgotten that she really wasn’t looking at him, but a created character.  For the most part, he likened what he was doing to that of what an actor does.  An actor goes and studies a subject, some change their appearances accordingly, for the purpose of entertaining and earning money.  What he was doing was one in the same.  He played the part well.  If he played it well enough, then he could reveal the truth and let her know that it was him and he could be what she needed.  The deception was a slight, component in the grander scheme of things. It was easily removable if he found it necessary.  He had to have some guarantees in place.  Hades didn’t like the thought of so many unknowns.  Certain things just needed to be definite. He walked into his office space and called for the one person he knew he could trust.

“Hermes, get your shit out of whatever slit you’re in and get your ass here, now.  Know that I’m in a fucking foul…”

“…mood and you will have my ass if I don’t get a move on.  Did you miss me, Unc?” Hermes looked about the area, then back at Hades.  “Or should I say, did you miss your mark?  Correct me if I’m wrong, but shouldn’t there be a particularly beautiful and vibrant redhead calming the beast, right now.”

Hades watched as Hermes waggled his eyebrows in a suggestive way.  He’d warned the boy and still he baited him.  He really did question the boy’s sanity.  Had the century he lived as a god tainted his mind already?  The boy had no sense of self-preservation. 

Hades was across the room and reaching for Hermes’ throat only the boy wasn’t where he’d been, which was next to Hades’ massive desk.  He turned to see Hermes leaning against the door jam. 

“It must be bad.  I’ve never been able to pull something like that off with you.  What the hell happened tonight?”

There was concern with a bit of cockiness in his voice and reflected in the expression on his face.  Hades knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that his nephew would recall this very moment for the rest of his days.  What boy wouldn’t revel in the knowledge that they had the chance to best their mentor?  Hades leaned against the wall and allowed Hermes to have a moment to revel in his achievement.  Five seconds later, he called forth one of his “Death Blade” a double headed scythe in his right hand and a red handled sai in the other.  Just as quickly as he manifested it was it out of his hand whistling through the air and embedding in the wall.  It took a quarter of an inch of hair from the right side of Hermes’ head of loose curls.  The other was sailing through the air a moment later and caught by the blade by Hermes at arm’s length.  His nephew looked up to see Hades had his hand wrapped around the hilt of the blade and one side of the “Death Blade” was precariously close to slicing into the Adam’s apple of Hermes throat.

“I wouldn’t get cocky about besting me ever.  It’s usually in those moments that you’ll find I am the most devious and deadly,” Hades stated as he moved the blade close enough to kiss the skin of Hermes’ neck.

“Cockiness is one of my best traits, but so is getting out of ‘deadly’ situations.”  Hermes responded then disappeared and reappeared right next to Hades.  “It’s an ability that I recently found out I was gifted with.  The deadlier the situation, the more heightened the ability.  Dear old Dad is good for something after all.”

Hades arm swung out without looking where his nephew stood and sliced a quarter inch of hair from the left side.  He heard Hermes’ intake of breath and couldn’t hide the satisfaction he felt knowing that he hadn’t lost his touch.  Some things couldn’t be taught by word, they had to be taught by deed.

“Ah, yes, Zeus is good for some things.  Glad you have a new ability to master, but I’m the god of…death, basically.  I’m also centuries holder than you are.  What was a slip up earlier has brought about a very good lesson.  Never, ever let your guard down.  Your power and abilities will only take you so far.  You cannot become dependent upon them to get you out of situations.  Hermes, you have a very wicked and cunning mind, use it to your advantage.  You will be a better warrior because of it.” Hades relinquished his weapons to their resting place and whisked the hairs away with a wave of his hand.  “No charge for the haircut, by the way.”

“It was a half ass hack job anyway…” Hermes began.  When he looked at Hades expression, he quickly backpedaled.  “…, but thanks for evening things out.  Why am I here?  I don’t usually get two calls from you in the same week.”

Hades went to the bar that sat within a foot of his desk and was built into the wall to poor himself a much needed drink.  He downed the first drink then the second just as quickly.  On his third, he picked up the tumbler then walked with it and the decanter to his chair.  He eyed the intricate etchings of the glass piece.  Hermes didn’t dare say a word.  The boy was smart enough to not rush Hades when he went into this mode.  So much life lived and so many lives lost.  This piece was part of a set that Milan, Scarlett’s cousin, twice removed, had in her old apartments.  She rarely touched any form of liquor but she enjoyed stopping and looking at this piece.  It had been her first purchase for her very own home.  When she took her life, he’d had this brought to him.  He needed a reminder of why he was going through all of this trouble.  Scarlett…she had to make the choice to be with him.  A lifetime without her or his child wasn’t one he could see having to live.  An immortal existence was a lonely one.  It was made even more difficult when you knew the one created just for you was within reach, but you couldn’t touch them. 

Taking one last look at the decanter, Hades took a deep breath and looked up at Hermes.  He made a gesture offering some of the contents of the piece.  He called forth another glass and poured a generous amount of the brown liquid into both glasses.  The decanter had her first initial in the center and jewels surrounding it. Anytime Hades held it, he tended to absentmindedly run his thumb over the letter, repeatedly. He needed to get this right, he knew it.  Losing his Rouge to that fate would like tear away his last bit of sanity.  Gods help anyone that crossed his path if ever that came to pass.

They sat in silence for a few more moments before Hermes finally broke it.  His eyes must have flared or he must have released a bit of his power inadvertently.  Hermes words had him trying to recall the momentary slip.

“Not trying to rush you or anything Unc, but I don’t want to know what our new reality will be like if you don’t get to have what you want.  I also don’t want a repeat of the aftermath of Milan.”  At Hades’ questioning look, Hermes elaborated.  “It’s hers, isn’t it?”

Hermes’ eyes pointedly moved to the glass.  Hades sank back in his chair and his free hand went to his hair. 

“Yes, it was hers.  It’s a reminder.  Gods!  I hate this…part.  One thing an immortal should have the ability to master is patience.  Yet, I have less than that of the most insignificant bug.  I have days to convince one that should by rights be mine already, to actually be with me.  I have limitations because of those bastards that I actually have blood ties to.  I would love to be able to string them up by their genitalia and swing them like pendulums until they can swing no more.  I have not even been one week’s time away from her and I feel as if I could beat through a wall with my favorite appendage.  I’m that on edge.  The Sexian Demon did not work.  I should have known this.  It is no longer a problem, but I am.  I want this process over with.  I want my Rouge and my child and I want them NOW!” his bellow rang out through the corridors of the underground maze of tunnels that he’d created and cracked a window. 

He’d protected the glassware within the rooms long ago.  Hades tired of having to replace them all when these things happened. 

“I can’t say that I completely understand, but I’ll do what it is that you need me to.  If your end game is to get the girl and make her happy, then I’m here.  What do you need?” Hermes stood and righted a painting that had tilted almost completely off its nail with the force of Hades release.  “You know what you did wrong so tell me what you want to do to make it right.”

“Your mother would tell me that I didn’t deserve her if after all this time I didn’t know what it would take to have her choose me.  I would have to agree, slightly.” Hades took a drink from his glass then looked at the picture on the wall.  It was one that Hermes painted in one of his moments of boredom.  “I need to have an advantage.  I know the woman that was dreaming and tended to be a bit freer with herself because of it.  I need to know the woman that walks the earth.  I need Brock to be the next best thing to what Aides was to her.  I also need to get there much faster than Aides did.  What I need you to do is be my eyes and ears there.  I need you to get me information.  It’s what you’re best at and one of the reasons that I keep you around.”