Page 55 of Going to Hell
The ball went from grapefruit to basketball size while he spoke. I quickly scrambled back from my chair. Hades frowned at me and took a step to follow before noticing my attention wasn’t on him but rather something behind him.
He slowly turned. The light from the object bathed the side of his face in orange, making it easy to see his expression. Unease replaced the anger.
“No,” he breathed, running a hand through his hair. “Blood will rain.”
The ball grew to the size of a dog and lost its indistinct shape. I could see then that it wasn’t some giant meteor. It had tucked, flame-wings and arms and legs and a face. Faster and faster it sped, its face tipped back to watch us like we watched it.
At the last moment, I recognized those flaming features, and my pulse leapt.
If I would have had my voice, I would have whooped. Instead, all I could do was grin like an insane person as Megan landed in a crouch on the partial wall. The building didn’t even crack with the impact.
Our gazes locked, and I saw recognition in hers just before I launched myself at her.
Finally, she was here to save me.
I didn’t make it more than two steps before an enraged yell tore from Hades, and he caught me around my waist. My breath whooshed out of me as he hauled me back to his side. I reached for Megan, begging her with my eyes.
She wasn’t looking at me, though. She was staring at Hades in complete shock.
“Leave now before your wings are ripped from your body.”
His words lashed at me, breaking through my panic. I couldn’t let Hades hurt her.She was my way out. Without her, I would be stuck here forever.
Desperate to stop him, I twisted in his hold and gripped the hair at the back of his head. He turned toward me and didn’t resist as I pulled down, forcing his face closer to mine.
No, he didn’t resist at all. His expression shifted to one of anticipation as he guessed my intent, and his lips parted.
Beautiful lips. Perfect lips.
“Yes,” he breathed. His eyes glowed red before he closed them and touched his lips to mine.
It felt like tiny bolts of lightning struck my middle at the contact, and my heart stuttered in my chest. I struggled to focus beyond the feelings that kissing Hades, the god of the underworld, was creating.
His lips are his weapon, just like his beautiful face.
It wasn’t easy to ignore the way his full lips rubbed against mine, and it took a great deal of effort to concentrate on Megan instead.
Her eyes were even wider as our gazes met over Hades’ shoulder. There was so much I wished I could say. So much I wished I could do, like escape with her. Instead, I lifted a hand and motioned for her to leave.
Her gaze flicked from me to Hades. Then she dove off the side of the building, her wings spreading wide.
Megan will be back, I told myself. This can’t be my eternity.
I closed my eyes against my doubt and anguish as tears leaked out. Hades groaned, releasing his hold on my waist to pull me flush against his torso.
The tears tracked down my cheeks, and I sniffled.
Hades jerked like I’d stabbed him and pulled back from me. His eyes were glowing brightly again when he opened them to frown at me.
“No. You were willing. You were mine. Be mine!”
I averted my gaze and did my best to find a quiet place in my mind where I could hide from whatever insanity he was about to unleash.
“You will look at me,” he growled, moving closer. “You will speak your price. And you will touch me.”
He bent forward so our eyes were level, and his face was inches from mine.
Instead of screaming at me though, his eyes changed further, becoming black sockets filled with glowing red.
