The Darkest King (Lords of the Underworld 15)

He’d never known his species of origin. Finally, he understood why. He must be one of the crossbreds. A fact he found disturbing. Not a child born of love, but a product made for war.

Had he killed his family when he’d killed the Wrathlings?

He cut off a roar of denial. No. No! Hades would not let him murder his relatives.

“This. Is. Freesia-ing. Unacceptable!” Hades’s roar echoed off the walls, as if William had summoned him. “Freesia. Freesia!”

He’d arrived?

With a whimper, Dawn dove under the bed. Sunny vaulted to her feet, and Axel slowly rose to his. William maneuvered in front of his woman, shielding her. Of course, this put her and Axel at his back, something he didn’t like. He hated having anyone at his back. But their safety mattered more than his discomfort.

“Watch your tone,” he snapped, looking Hades over. The man looked awful, his black hair askew, his dark eyes rimmed red and glimmering with—no way. No way his father projected fear. His clothes were wrinkled—another first—his muscles tense. What the hell had happened to him?

One of the first lessons Hades had taught William? Your appearance was a weapon. With the proper clothes and a calm demeanor, you could instill terror in the heart of anyone.

For the king to come here in this condition... Something terrible must have happened. Or he’d just learned of Axel’s arrival and had come running. Either way, fury bubbled up all over again.

Too raw to stop his next words, he snapped, “Tell me what you know about Wrathlings.”

The color drained from Hades’s face—yet another first. But what did it mean? His dark gaze darted between William and Axel before he blanked his expression of emotion, just like he’d taught his children. “They are extinct. What more is there to know?”

William remembered the day Hades had found “Scum.” He’d said, You have his eyes.

Realization: Hades had known about William’s ties to the group.

The fury spilled over, scalding William. Hades had known the truth, yet he’d ordered the executions, anyway. Never mind that he’d saved William from a life of prejudice and obscurity. He should have told me the truth and given me a choice.

“Let’s backtrack a bit. Did a king of Hell just use freesia as a curse?” Axel laughed outright. “Roses! Lilies! Orchids!”

Hades stepped in his direction, all menace and hate. Once again, William acted as a shield, stepping in front of Axel. This infuriated his father, whose muscles bulged with aggression.

Sunny moved to William’s side, took his hand and told Hades, “Hi, I’m Sunny. This is my home. You entered without permission and frightened my dog. Apologize before I—”

William placed a hand over her mouth, silencing her. Those who insulted or commanded Hades didn’t usually live to see another sunrise. “Sunny, meet Hades. My father. Hades, meet Sunny. My woman.”

The male stared at her, hard, taking in every detail until William snapped, “What are you doing here?”

Expression blanking again, Hades brushed a piece of invisible lint from his shoulder. “Did I or did I not tell you to stay away from the Sent One?”

“You did. And I told you I could love you both.”

“Love?” Axel said, stumbling back.

“Look,” Sunny said, unafraid of the monster she provoked. “Can this argument wait? Axel and I are about to be in the middle of finding out what kind of breakfast cereal we are.”

The Sent One scratched his chin. “I’m leaning toward Trix.”

She smiled a sugary smile at Hades. “I’m thinking you’re a knockoff brand, like Kookies or Circus Balls. Or maybe you’re a steaming pile of mashed oats with zero flavor.”

“Anyone with sense knows I’m Franken Berry.” Hades pointed to William. “Froot Loops.” Sunny. “Lucky Charms.” Axel. “Fiber One. Now leave.”

“Nah. Don’t think I will,” Axel countered with a smirk. “I like it here.”

Hades popped his jaw, unused to outright refusals. “You will leave of your own volition, or I will make you.”

Another lesson taught by the king? Never make a threat unless you plan to follow through.

Hades always followed through.

William massaged the back of his neck. “There’s no reason—”

“Go ahead,” Axel said, spreading his arms. “Make me.”

“Very well.” A tornado of black smoke cloaked him in an instant and shot across the stable, collected Axel and tossed him outside, the doors slamming shut behind him.

“Stay here,” William bellowed to Sunny. As an afterthought, he tacked on, “Please.” Then he flashed outside, in the middle of hundreds of Sent Ones carting around lumber and tools. Several homes were already completed. Large huts with flat roofs for landings and takeoffs.

Where was—there. Hades was in humanoid form once again. He stood before Axel, Zacharel, Bjorn and two others. William caught the tail of what his father was saying and stilled.

“—will erect your homes in my territory, not his. Understand? Otherwise, you’ll find yourself in a war against me.”

To keep William and Axel apart, Hades had just threatened to go to war with an ally...while already at war with an enemy. What to do? From the beginning, William had trusted his father as much as someone like him could trust anyone other than himself. After everything the male had done for him, grateful didn’t come close to describing what he felt. The very reason he’d allowed Hades to keep secrets so long, never really pushing for answers, despite a desperate need to know where he came from.

Now? Frustration pulled his strings. “Hades,” he yelled.

All conversations ceased, silence creeping over the growing crowd. Every gaze found him, including Hades’s. He and his father faced off, Axel momentarily forgotten.

Choosing to communicate telepathically, and keep the argument private, William groused, They will stay here, surrounding the stable to better protect my codebreaker.

The unflappable Hades suddenly looked utterly flapped. Again, the color fled his cheeks. —You choose the Sent One over me?—

For the first time, William thought his father exhibited something akin to panic. I choose not to support the man who refuses to tell me why he’s against my potential relationship with my brother.

—Because.— Hades pressed his lips together, going quiet.

Because why? William insisted, refusing to let this go.

—Because... I know what you do not. Why I kept you, but not the Sent One.— Hades’s dark eyes were stark. —Long ago, my oracles presented me with a conundrum. If ever you and Axel were reunited in truth, you would work together to kill me and take my throne. How can I trust you now?—

24

“Get in my way and get mowed down. It’s science.”

Sunny floated to the bed to coax Dawn out of hiding. She needed a confidante, and who better than her darling fur-baby? They could bond over confessions and snuggles.

“The big, scary man is gone, sweetness. But even if he returns, you don’t have to worry. Not now, not ever. I’m your protector, and I’ll never let anything bad happen to you. That’s a Sunny Lane gold-star promise. One I can keep. I’m kind of a superhero.”

Once she had Dawn resting comfortably on a floor pillow, she spent a good ten minutes praising the dog for her bravery. As she stroked her belly, one of Dawn’s heads nuzzled her while the other growled and bit her wrist hard enough to draw blood.

Sunny winced, the bite packing a powerful punch. No way she’d scold the little beauty for protecting herself, though. “We’re going to be best pals. Like me, you have a dual nature, which can make life difficult. But as long as you do what you believe is best, you’ll never have regrets.”

The biting ceased but the growling persisted. No matter. Progress!

“Guess what?” she whispered. She cast her g

aze around the barn, searching for any sign that someone hid nearby, listening. “William is falling for me, and not just because of his book. I mean, why wouldn’t he fall for me? I’m, like, so supergood at sex now, he insists on an exclusive relationship, something he’s never done with another. But just between us girls, I’m wondering if I should do as threatened and bail after I decode his book and kill his brother. I mean, William is a project. He’s never had a full-time girlfriend. I’m worried he’ll grow tired of me. Already he’s waffled. He wanted me, then he pushed me away, then he wanted me again. And he’s still holding me prisoner. I need to protect myself.”

Although trusting him fully, holding nothing back, had begun to feel inevitable, which scared the crap out of her.

“Should I bail or shouldn’t I?” she asked the hound. “If I stay, I’ll need to make nice with his family. Not Lucifer, of course. Never Lucifer. But Axel and Hades.”

Hades would be a tough nut to crack. He had a dark-as-night aura with pinpricks of light. It reminded her of a midnight sky, beautiful to look upon but lethal when you got too close without proper protection. He’d radiated menace and ruthless aggression.

Axel had an aura as blurry as William’s, with splatters of red, indicative of rage and pain. Yet he’d looked at William with unmistakable longing. The same way William had looked at Axel.

Okay, so, if she was going to bail, she wouldn’t do it right away. She’d stay long enough to help the two recover their memories and built a proper brothership.