Page 31 of Devils and the Dead
My eyes widened, and I wondered if this was something Lucien was also working on. “It sounds serious.”
“It is.” He reached out and took my other hand. “A couple of weeks ago a number of souls vanished from hell. They were only gone for a short period of time, then they came back, so it wasn’t a crisis. It came to my attention since a few demons were pointing fingers and claiming the missing souls were due to design flaws in hell, but it seems they were summoned by a necromancer.”
I froze. “Oh.”
“Anyway, the same thing happened at exactly the same time with a few souls in purgatory and in heaven. But one of the souls from heaven did not return. She’s missing. They don’t know where she is or what happened to cause her to vanish, and they’re very upset about it,” he went on, clearly not noticing my horrified expression or skyrocketing pulse. “It’s a problem because they are blaming hell. They think we stole this soul, and they’re going to go to war to get her back. It’s not that this soul is particularly vital to them, but the idea that hell somehow managed to swipe her that bothers them.” He shook his head. “Of course, hell did no such thing, but heaven is refusing to let the matter rest unless I find the soul and return her to heaven.”
“That’s…that’s terrible.” The whole thing was terrible. Maude wanted to stay, and Hades was tasked with returning her to heaven—which frankly sounded like a horrible place. I needed to figure out how to fully resurrect her and get her a new identity before she was found out. I didn’t want a war between heaven and hell, but I didn’t want to force Maude into something she didn’t want.
And keeping this secret would completely destroy any chance of having a relationship with Hades. Figures. The first guy in months who sparked my interest, and it was over before it began. He’d never forgive my deception in this if he found out, and I couldn’t have a trusting long-term relationship with someone with this secret between us.
As much as I wanted to get to know him more, it was probably best if I cut this off right now.
“It sounds like you’re really busy. Maybe dinner with my family tomorrow night isn’t such a great idea after all,” I told him, trying to ease back from the invitation.
“Iwantto have dinner with you and your family.” His hands still held mine. “I’ll make time for you, Babylon, no matter how hectic things get.”
“But the project…” I should pull my hands away, but I just couldn’t.
He blew out a breath. “It’s a stupid project that I shouldn’t even be involved in. Lucifer needs to send his son in to talk to heaven and purgatory. He’s the diplomatic type, and is better suited for smoothing things over than me. It’s ridiculous. I’ve spoken with every necromancer I can find, living and dead, and no one knows what happened to that soul. It’s heaven’s problem, not hell’s. And definitely not mine.”
His words gave me hope that maybe this could work out between us. If I explained what had happened, told him my dilemma and introduced him to Maude, would he understand? Under normal circumstances I’d assume he would just snatch her up and go, but the Hades I’d gotten to know tonight seemed to be thoughtful, and someone who would understand the ethical difficulties I was facing in this.
But not now. Tomorrow. Or in a day or two, once I had a better handle on the situation with Maude. Then I’d explain to Hades what had happened.
I told him the address for Cassie’s house, and let him know what time to be there for dinner. He gave my hands another squeeze then hesitated, bending his head slightly as if he were about to kiss me. I lifted my chin, breath hitching in anticipation.
With a second’s pause, he stepped back. Lifting one of my hands to his mouth, he kissed my palm before letting go.
“Until tomorrow night, Babylon.” His smile held a boyish uncertainty, and I felt myself smiling in return.
“Until tomorrow night, Hades.”
He held my car door open for me as I climbed in, closed it, and waited for me to start my car before vanishing. I sat in the parking lot for a few seconds, grinning like a fool. Then I put my car in gear and drove home.
I liked him. I more than liked him. His old-fashioned manners. His enthusiasm for his job and his creations. His kindness. The way he’d listened with rapt attention when I spoke. The way his fingers had felt in mine.
His tight ass. The dude had a seriously cute butt.
When he’d walked into the bar, I’d seen a hot guy—a guy who physically was exactly my type. But Hades was far more than that. He was wonderful in every way.
He was someone I could easily give my heart to.
But there was only one problem. I’d screwed up, and my vow to make things right with Maude might just cost me the man who could be the love of my life.
Chapter 14
Hades
Steve was standing at the door of my office when I arrived there in the morning, report in hand. He followed me in and thrust the bound stack of papers into my hand before I even had a chance to make a cup of coffee.
“It’s my summary of the interviews with the demons who attacked at the Hoffman farm two weeks ago,” he told me.
I had a bad feeling about this report. A very bad feeling.
“Want a coffee, Steve?” I offered in an attempt to delay the evitable.
His eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Uhh, sure?”
