Retribution

“Confronting Hades always carries a risk, he’ll rarely do anything, but he has many creatures that will carry out his orders without a second thought. The other reason I came here was because you once asked me to shed some light on a couple of things I have said before. I’ve been trying to put it off, but you deserve to know, if that’s what you still want.”

I nodded my head, afraid to utter a single word in case he changed his mind and took the offer back.

“I didn’t want to tell this to the new you, but now I realise I have been selfish. Holding onto the past instead of embracing the future, I guess now, I don’t want to lose my life without you garnering the answers you deserve.

It has long been believed that every creature, no matter what species, has one destined true mate. Finding them is a rarity as most refuse to ever look beyond their own kind. But fate and love know no prejudice. It was after our agreement was struck and we shared our second kiss, that I realised I had never been so blown away. The molten heat that was traversing through my body was something I had never felt before, it shook me to my very core. That was why I disappeared, I needed to figure out what it meant. I never believed in all that fated crap, but there was no other explanation for it.

I never told you any of this, because I didn’t want to endear you to me. Besides after you chose to be with someone else, I gathered fate had screwed me over. Trust me to fall for an enigma, one who was fated to another being, whilst I was only ever destined to love them.

It made sense in a twisted way; an incubus is not supposed to be happy. Why else would we feed from our victims in such a callous way, being able to make them feel things, out of our reach to us, unless we end their lives. We can only feel the tainted, dark emotions, not those that bring happiness and joy.”

Damn. That was pretty much all I could think in the moment, what could I say to such a statement. Apparently, I was his fated mate, yet I had chosen another, if that was the case then how did I end up engaged to him and just what had happened to the one I had chosen.

I was going to ask him all of that when he turned his back to me and headed towards my door.

“I’m sorry Unya, I know you will have questions, and although I would give anything to answer them I can’t. Knowing I would have to spin a web of lies, I can’t bear to mislead you any further, but my hands are tied. My choices and decisions are not my own, so I beg you not to make me deceive you anymore.”

“I don’t understand Malachi, and it isn’t fair of you to say those things and then just walk away.”

“Don’t you think I know that! Do you believe I enjoy any part of this, of course not. All I wish is that you could be a fly on the wall for once, then just maybe you could understand the predicament I am in.”

Most of that had was shouted at me, and he soon stormed out slamming the door in his wake. I sat there simmering in my anger and despair, when Adiran came to stand before me.

“Dearie, don’t you see. Malachi just gave us a golden opportunity; you can be a fly on the wall. Use the shadows to transfer yourself into his throne room, then as long as you are shrouded by them Hades will never know you are garnering some truth out of all the lies.”

His idea sounded tantalising and I agreed, all I had to do was change into my black tank top and black jeans and I would be ready to go.

16

Malachi

I couldn’t stop myself from pacing outside of his door, I knew I had called for this meeting, but it didn’t mean I wanted to participate. I know that’s rather confusing, but unless you have stood before Hades yourself, you could never understand how I was feeling. All I wanted was to be free from him once and for all, I was sick and tired of being his whipping boy but there was no sign of freedom in sight.

I plucked up the courage to enter, only to see that Semias was nowhere in sight. Instead Yana was standing at his side, ready to offer her deadly services to any creature Hades wished dead.

“You ask for a meeting, and yet you do not deem it necessary to arrive on time. You are playing a very dangerous game Incubus, do not forget where your allegiances fall.”

If you expected that sanctimonious crap to come from Hades himself, you would have been mistaken. Clearly Yana deemed it necessary to speak on his behalf unless His Lordship stated otherwise.

I was about to give back a loaded retort, when I felt the air shift. It was as though another presence had entered, but no other being was in the room. That was when I noticed a familiar heat pricking my skin, somehow Unya had found a way into the room all I needed to do was figure out if Hades was aware of her presence.

“I apologise for my lateness your Lordship, but I had to ensure Unya would not wander down here and overhear anything we may say.”

I gave a low bow and stared straight into the direction I believed her to be standing, I could have been mistaken but it was of little consequence.

“That naïve little girl would never be so bold; she is following my laws beautifully. What a delightful creature she has become, without her memories she is embracing her darker side. Even if I hadn’t already owned part of her soul, she would be destined for my realm in her time of death by now.”

“So what do you plan to do if her memories ever return, I doubt she’d follow you then,” I stated, knowing I couldn’t reveal the truth myself, but Hades wasn’t bound to any kind of oath.

“I took her memories once; I can always do it again. Even if your deal would be voided, I know for certain you would never abandon her down here. My dear boy, do you think I’m blind to your feelings for her. The very fact you would bargain your own freedom for her life spoke volumes, what a shame it would be if you were the one to die when the time comes for you and Troy to see who will win the prize.”

“Unya is not an object, do you think I would ever let a creature like Troy anywhere near her. Do not be a fool old man, if I die, I’ll make sure he comes to Tartarus alongside me.”

Yana moved so fast, I barely registered her coming straight for me. The moment her hand connected with mine, the electrical current she produced threw me across the room and straight into the wall.

“Getting a child to defend your honour, how very noble,” I stated, as I clambered to my feet, coughing up blood as I did.

“You clearly have a death wish, but I will not rob Troy of his fun. You are weak Malachi, ever since you stopped killing your victims, you gave Troy the winning edge. If that wasn’t bad enough, you haven’t even fed since you sacrificed yourself for that worthless girl. It’s barely even a contest where you are concerned, he’ll end your life within the first ten seconds, and I cannot wait to claim your soul for myself.”