The Fall of Gods (A Welcome to the Underworld Novel, Book 2)

The Fa
ll of Gods

A Welcome to the Underworld Novel

Book 2

Con Template

Copyright © 2013 Con Template

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 1484054814

ISBN-13:
978-1484054819

Cover Illustration Design by:
Dorothy Duong

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced without the written permission of the Author.

Dedicated to my Mom and Dad, and the seekers of “Paris.”

Thank you
for the once-in-a-lifetime inspiration.

Acknowledgements

First
ly, the publishing of this book couldn’t have been done without the love and support from my family and friends. Thank you to my parents for being my biggest cheerleaders and my inspiration everyday. Thank you to my wonderful sister for not only being my best friend and advisor, but also the biggest advocate of my story. I count my blessings everyday that I have you as my older sister. Thank you to the close circle of friends who I decided to share in my secret pastime. Your support has meant the world to me and I will forever be grateful. Kevin N., there is not a day that goes by where I don’t think of you. I’m overjoyed that you enjoyed the first book and I hope you enjoy this one too. Stay strong, stay safe and come home soon, little cousin.

Secondly, thank you to my beta readers: Anita Law, Anna C., Annie Park, Ghetty Hilaire, Jamie Lee, Kim Tong, My-Trinh Nguyen, and Vivian T. Hoang. None of this would’ve been possible without your dedication and help. Thank you for giving so much time and love to this story. It was an honor to work with all of you. I also want to thank one of my incredible friends, Jocelyn H., for helping to look over the story despite her busy schedule. It’s friends like you that makes me wish I shared in my secret pastime sooner. Thank you for everything.

Thirdly, thank you to my graphic artist, Dorothy Duong. There will never be enough words to summarize the appreciation I have for you. You are a gift to have in my life and I thank you for being my rock during this entire journey. Your talent and creativity is simply awe-insirping and I thank you for gifting the Welcome to the Underworld novels with your talent.

Last and never least, thank you to all my incredible readers for your outpouring of support. I could’ve never anticipated the first book to garner such love from all of you. It’s been an amazing ride so far and you make it so much more worth it everyday. I hope you enjoy this next level of the journey.

CONTENTS

“My
Illusionist. . .”

00: Illusionist

“How is she?”

“We dropped her off at the hospital. Dr. Han treated her. From what he told us, she should be fine. Jun is getting ready to drop her off at your apartment now.”

“Good,” Tae Hyun said quietly. His eyes skimmed over the bodyguards patrolling the garden as he stood above the balcony of Ju Won’s mansion. “You and Jae Won get your rest as well. Thank you for all that you’ve done today and thank you for helping me take care of her.”

“It was my pleasure, boss,” Kang Min replied. “Have a good night.”

As Tae Hyun tucked the phone in his pocket, a whisper came from behind him.

“What you did tonight…was unwise.”

Tae Hyun didn’t need to take his focus off the view to discern that it was his Advisor, Shin Dong Min, who spoke those words to him.

“I know,” he said without taking his eyes off a particular red rose in the garden.

Dong Min came and stood beside him. His voice grew sterner. “It is unlike you.”

“I know.”

“There is a whole society waiting for you to be crowned Lord of the Underworld. You are too close to becoming a true God in this world to make mistakes now.”

Again, Tae Hyun did not shift his sight from the red rose. “I am aware of that.”

“She cannot be your mistake.”

Tae Hyun laughed. He finally withdrew his gaze from the world below and settled his full attention on his Advisor. He smiled at Dong Min in amusement. “You think I fought for all these years only to fall from the throne because of a girl?”

“Did you not learn anything from the meeting room?” Dong Min asked firmly. “She is not just a girl. She – ”

“I will not fall from grace because of her,” Tae Hyun interrupted coolly. His voice did not waver when he stated this. “I have fought for too long to lose my throne now.”

“What is your plan with her then?”

He kept his gaze leveled on his Advisor. “She is not leaving my side any time soon if that’s what you’re asking.”

Dong Min shook his head, irritation seeping into his eyes. Despite his bloody appearance from the recent initiation of Choi Yoori, he still exuded nothing short of power as he chastised Tae Hyun. “You really have heard nothing.”

“She is not a threat to me.”

“Not yet.”

Tae Hyun laughed again. It was evident he wasn’t taking the concern his Advisor was expressing to heart. “She will not be my downfall.”

Dong Min smirked, accepting this reply. “You told me that there was a reason why you brought her into this world – why you chose her. The Underworld is waiting with bated breath. Whatever your plan with her is…make sure to be careful and make sure that it all goes according to plan.”

“Of course.” Tae Hyun smiled before moving away from the balcony. He gave Dong Min a respectful nod. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to her.”

“Tae Hyun,” Dong Min called after him.

Tae Hyun turned just before he stepped off the balcony and back into Ju Won’s mansion.

“She is not a threat now,” Dong Min ominously forewarned, the icy wind billowing around him. “But what if she becomes a threat in the future? What would be your ingenious plan then?”

“If that’s the case, then she will be taken care of,” Tae Hyun said without thought, without hesitation. “No one threatens my throne – no one threatens my power over this world. I brought her into this world…I can easily take her out of it.”

“Will you take me into a world filled with timeless magic?”

01: The Disappearance of Gods

“Choi Yoori…”

Ignoring the call of the soothing voice, a sleeping Yoori just mumbled incoherently as she nuzzled her left cheek into her pillow. 

She was too comfortable.

She didn’t want to wake up.

She smacked her lips together. Yoori was ready to drift back into the land of dreams when the warmth of the soothing voice glided over her senses again. This time, it tickled along her right ear, gently pulling her out of her slumber.
 

“
Choi Yoori
…” 

Awakened by the butterflies that had begun to flutter in her stomach, Yoori gradually lifted her eyelids. Although blurry at first, her vision soon cleared once it acclimated with the morning light.

“What time is it?” she whispered sluggishly.

Her eyes snagged on Kwon Tae Hyun, the crime lord boss who was also the notorious King of Serpents, one of the country’s most powerful men. She had met him
while working as a waitress at Lee’s Diner. Through a spell of bad luck, she not only spilled coffee on him but because of this infraction, he had also blackmailed her into being his personal assistant. Needless to say, she was far from being a respectful assistant with all the constant bickering between them, but the only deal was that she would be his assistant – not necessarily a compliant one. 

Tae Hyun was sitting across from her, dressed in a white half-buttoned up shirt topped off with a black jacket and black jeans.
 With one leg propped up, left hand resting on his knee and his back leaning against the bed frame, Tae Hyun couldn’t have appeared more like an enticing aphrodisiac as he sat there with the glory of the morning sun shining down on him.

Did she also mention that her boss, as insufferably hotheaded as he may be, was also one of the most gorgeous men she had ever laid eyes on? Not that she liked him that way or anything.

Though it was early, Yoori surmised that he must’ve looked a bit more alluring than usual because the rays of the morning sun had touched him at the perfect angle. 

It’s just the special effects
, Yoori reminded herself, wanting to justify why she found Tae Hyun to be so sexy this fine morning. It was the special effects and the simple fact that she was assaulted the night prior during her five-minute initiation with the Advisors, the Underworld’s most influential and feared mentors. She probably got hit too hard in the head and was still reeling from the aftereffects of it.

That must be why she was so enthralled by Tae Hyun. It was definitely
not because she had a small crush on him, and it was definitely not because she wanted to pounce on him. She was just sleepy and confused. 

While
she contemplated to herself, Tae Hyun began to smile amusingly at Yoori. He took note that her lethargic eyes were checking him out. Feigning ignorance to that little detail, he chose to merely answer her question instead. 

“Time for Sleeping Beauty to wake up.” He sounded innocent enough, but Yoori knew better. She knew that Tae Hyun was saying it to taunt her.
 Who in their right mind would call her a “Sleeping Beauty”?