Page 72 of Love and Death
I step forward, hardly daring to believe it possible, but even covered, the form is too familiar, too tall, too imposing to be anyone else but Death.
My breath catches in my throat, and I suddenly realize just how unprepared I am for this moment.
To see him like this.
So alone. So still.
Tears sting the back of my eyes as I stumble closer, the hem of my dress trailing behind me in a rushed whisper.
“Mortal, what are you doing down here?”
I let out a surprised shriek, the torch dropping from my hand to clatter against the floor. Spinning toward the voice, I watch wide-eyed as a figure steps from the shadows just behind the door I’d opened.
His eyes gleam in the low light, burning from within as he rakes a hand through the dark waves of his disheveled hair.
“Cerberus,” I gasp, my shoulders sagging under the weight of my relief. “You scared me.”
He doesn’t offer me so much as a smile in reply, his expression cold despite the fire in his eyes.
“Good, youshouldbe scared,” he says, his voice low and measured as he takes another step toward me. “You should not be down here.”
“Cerberus?” I match his step back, my skin prickling in warning.
“You should not be here,” he repeats, his voice so even that it only makes it all the more terrifying. Gone is his rakish grin. Gone is the mischievous glint in his eye.
All that is left is cold, calculated discipline.
21
CERBERUS
Why does she not listen? She should not be here. This place is not safe …Iam not safe.
Something is wrong.
The bond is snapping into place too fast.
It claws at me, tearing me to pieces from the inside out. I crave her, and yet, it wants me to destroy her. To punish her for not giving in.
Hades’ own leash of loyalty tightens even as the fate bond twists, burying itself into my ribs like a sharp blade.
She does not know how close I am to breaking.
I should notbethis close to breaking. I should not be this close toher.
Any moment, one of these bonds will snap. One of them will win.
And either way, I will hurt her.
I take another slow step toward her and watch her retreat.
“You need to leave, now,” I demand, hating how cruelmy voice sounds. Hating the low growl that lies in wait behind it.
“Now, now,” The invisible leash constricts, choking me back toward obedience. “What would be the fun in that?”
Hades.
I clench my teeth, realizing I have been made a fool by the silencing of the inner sanctum, as the king steps into the room behind me, closing the heavy doors with a resounding thud.
