Page 8 of A Contemporary Mythos Thanksgiving
Hades poked me in the shoulder, baiting me. “Remember when I invited you to the Halloween party Steph threw down here, and you declined?”
“That was different.” I cut my hands through the air between us. “This is a combined holiday with political matters. Besides, I’ve already ordered Thanatos to cover for you when you’re gone. And you know how much of a buzzkill he can be.” My upper lip bounced. “He’s worse than you.”
Hades folded his arms and hardened his gaze. “You admit to me that you’re doing this out of the love for your queen and to make her happy—and I’ll agree to it. Quarterly even, if you wish.”
The tortured wails echoing behind him, and the haze of heat surrounding the Underworld King like a creepy halo, made him almost somewhat intimidating. Almost.
“You serious?” I glared at him, lightning sparking in my eyes.
As always, my brother respected my authority, and would never try to overthrow me, but he made it clear he was not afraid of me. His own gaze ignited with embers and his arms remained crossed. “Deadly.”
Keira’s smile sizzled over my brain. An expression that didn’t often show itself when we’d first met, but we found it happening more often the more time we spent together. “Fine. Yes. Iliveto make Keira happy and physicallyachewhen she’s not.”
“And there we have it. Was that so hard?” A full smile quaked over his lips, a rarity that was so scarce it had me toppling back on my heels.
“Is that all it took for you to get your jollies? Forcing me to admit—feelings?”
Hades waved a hand through his fiery crown, making it disappear. “I have a sealed bottle of Yamazaki 55-Year-Old Single Malt Whisky I’ve been saving for a special occasion. Given you’ve not only changed but damn well had a rebirth, I’d say this is one of those. Care to help me break it in before you leave?”
I blinked. “Abso-fucking-lutely, but a Yamazaki? Only two hundred bottles of those were put into production. I know we’re gods but still, how the Tartarus did you manage that?”
“When a murderous member of the Yakuza dies, something has to happen to their possessions, does it not?”
Rubbing my hands together, I licked the corner of my mouth. “Let’s stop yappin’ and start drinkin’, yeah?”
Hades chuckled as he ported us to his study—a godly Man Cave if I ever saw one with deep mahogany bookshelves, two burgundy lounge chairs on either side of a small rounded black marble table with a silver tray, crystal tumblers, and matching decanter.
“I’ll even break out the Cubans if you’re up for it?” Hades raised his brows, motioning toward a tall humidor filled with cigars.
I loosened my tie, brow crinkling at him. “Not sure I ever knew about this side of you, brother.”
“Why would you? We never spent time together because I couldn’t stand you, and you wanted nothing to do with big brothers.” He removed two cigars from the case, opening a cabinet and retrieving the whisky bottle.
If that didn’t make you feel like dogshit, I didn’t know what would.
Nodding, I retrieved the tumblers and brought them to the bar, where he removed the seal on the bottle. “Guess we have a lot of time to make up for, hm?”
“An eternity of meddling, Zeus. An eternity. But truth be told—” He poured a finger’s worth of whisky into each glass. “They weren’t all unwarranted.”
“Did you just—pay me a compliment?” I squinted at my big kingly brother.
Hades raised his glass, and I clanked mine to his. “Yamás.”
We both took itty bitty sips, and I pinched my eyes shut, moaning. “This is probably the best malt whisky I’ve had that doesn’t hail from Scotland. Fuck me, that’s good.”
“Mm. It is.” Hades took another sip before handing me a cigar he’d clipped.
Resting the cigar between my teeth, I cocked an eyebrow at Hades, waiting for him to snap his fingers and light my cigar with his Underworld flame. Not disappointing, he obliged, smirking all the while.
“I speak the truth about you, Zeus. I’ve always respected how you handle your leadership, the burden you bear ruling over all Greek deities and representing us in the cosmos.” Hades moved to one of the lounge chairs, sitting and resting the tumbler on one knee.
“Yeah? That means a lot brother, but why the fuck’d you never say anything?”
He took a few puffs of his cigar and sighed. “Because your arrogance knew no bounds. Stroking your ego would’ve done you no favors. I would’ve stepped in the moment you would’ve gone tyrannical, but you had enough sense to never let it getthatfar.”
I flopped into the opposite chair, shellshocked, again. “Shit. I thought you and Fish Breath loathed the very day I earned the Kingdom.”
“We couldn’t loathe you entirely, considering we wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you.” He shrugged, taking more puffs from his cigar with sips of whisky in between. “I do muse that we all thought we had our fates figured out. Assumed the lives we led with our former queens was destiny unfolding.”
