Chapter 10
Hades
“I know you’re in there!” Lucy shouted from outside my front door.
It was my day for unwanted visitors. First, Rainer at the detention area, and then Lucy shortly after I returned home. Lucifer’s daughter was nice, unlike her bitch of a mother, but I still didn’t want to see her. Even before I opened the front door, I knew Lucy’s visit had something to do with Persephone.
“Hades!” she shouted. “Don’t make me break down the door.”
With a growl of frustration, I yanked open the door and glared at Lucy. Her long black hair was up in a high ponytail, and she was dressed in a modest black dress. Lucifer’s daughter was always modestly attired. She wasn’t alone. Beside her stood Rainer’s brother, Xavier. The brothers didn’t look much alike. Xavier had pale blond hair and vivid blue eyes. He wasn’t much taller than Lucy, who stood just shy of six feet.
“What do you want?” I demanded.
“You’re in a mood,” Xavier remarked as he pushed his way around me and into my home. I’d have pointed out that I hadn’t asked him to come in if I thought it would do any good.
“Does Lucifer know you’re spending so much time with his daughter?” I asked Xavier.
“I’m standing right here,” Lucy said with a huff. “And don’t try changing the subject.”
“Change what subject?” I asked. “Unless you want to spend more time discussing me opening the door for you, there is no subject to change. I’m also not the one who changed the subject. I asked why you’re here, and Xavier took that to mean I was asking for a critique of my current mood.”
“Persephone is at my dad’s home,” Lucy announced.
“I know,” I replied as I walked through the cold, empty hall. My home was nothing like Lucifer’s, though it was nearly as large. At one time, I’d hosted huge gatherings. The front door opened into my great hall where I’d once had statues of myself. Yes, I’d been as big-headed as the rest of my pantheon. One had to possess an excess of vanity to believe they deserved to be worshipped as a god.
I walked into the living room with Xavier and Lucy trailing behind me. Unlike most of the crumbling mausoleum I called home, my living room was comfortable. I collapsed onto my leather recliner and put my feet up before grabbing the remote to turn off the television.
Lucy and Xavier took a seat on the sofa, not waiting for an invitation. They knew me well enough to realize I wasn’t planning to offer them a seat. Besides, why should they wait for me to offer them a seat when they hadn’t even waited for me to invite them into my home?
“Are you planning to visit her while she’s there?” Lucy asked.
“Yes,” was my curt response.
“Are you planning to abduct her?” Xavier asked.
I considered my answer carefully before responding. “Probably not.” I definitely wasn’t planning to kidnap Persephone, but I couldn’t promise it wouldn’t happen.
Xavier laughed. “But you might?”
I shrugged.
“Her mother’s also there,” Lucy told me.
“Did you come here to tell me everyone who’s visiting Lucifer?” I asked. “Or was there another reason you demanded entrance into my home?”
“I’m worried about you,” Lucy admitted. “We’re family.”
“And Persephone is your friend,” I added. That friendship was likely the reason for her visit. Lucy wanted to protect Persephone.
“She is,” Lucy agreed. “You should visit her.”
“If you truly care about Persephone, you should encourage me to stay away from her.” I turned the television back on, hoping they’d take the hint and leave.
They didn’t.
Xavier snatched the remote off the end table when I set it down and turned off the television. My eyes narrowed. “Are you looking for a fight?” I asked. “If so, I’ll be happy to accommodate you.”
“Would it kill you to try having a conversation where you don’t alienate everyone in the room?” Xavier asked. “I can see why you’re an asshole. Hell, I’m an asshole, and I haven’t had to deal with nearly as much as you have. I still can’t believe you’re incapable of having a civil conversation.”
He had to be joking. I’d never been known for my conversation skills, even before my curse. “Did Lucifer tell you what’s going on?” I asked.
“He mentioned a small group of fallen angels from Olympus have some new scheme,” Xavier replied. “This one involves Zeus, so it’s more likely they’ll quickly forget about it.”
“Zeus couldn’t plan anything,” Lucy added. “He’s the craziest of my uncles.”
“I thought that title went to me,” I said with a grin.
Lucy shook her head. “Not even close. You’re not crazy, just an ass.”
I chuckled. “I’m going to take that as a compliment, considering I was on the verge of losing my mind until recently. As you may have already heard, I was approached about helping out with the latest plot.”
Xavier nodded, looking thoughtful. “That is unusual.”
“Was my mother with them?” Lucy asked hesitantly. “Was she one of the fallen angels who threatened Persephone?”
I shook my head. “She wasn’t there. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her down this way. She wouldn’t dare come to me for help.”
Lucy’s mother was a subject we rarely discussed. Aphrodite’s seduction of Lucifer had created a lot of tension. I’d felt betrayed by Lucifer, who’d been one of my only friends for a very long time. Aphrodite was responsible for my curse, so I had good reason to hate her. Lucifer had argued that the bitch had changed since she’d cursed me, but I knew the truth. Aphrodite was childish and spiteful. It had come as no surprise to me when she’d quickly grown bored with motherhood. Three days. That’s how long she’d stuck around after Lucy’s birth. I’d still lost the bet, having guessed she’d run back to Olympus within a day of Lucy’s birth.
Lucy’s phone buzzed with an incoming message before she could say more. “Damn,” she muttered as she stood.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, immediately on alert. Since Xavier hadn’t received a message, it likely wasn’t anything too urgent. Lucy wouldn’t be contacted about issues in the detention areas.
“Ares is at my father’s home,” Lucy explained.
And Lucifer was meeting with his attorney in the human realm. Not waiting for Lucy or Xavier to react to the news, I raced out of the room. I’d kill that bastard if he got anywhere near Persephone.